Chasing Water
by NutzForTheBucks
Summary: After a tumultuous relationship goes askew, Ezra starts down a path that leads him somewhere he swore he'd never go again. What awaits him, though, might just be worth the journey.
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE**

" _Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run there's still time to change the road you're on. And it makes me wonder…" – Stairway to Heaven, Led Zeppelin_

 _ **EZRA**_

Running his hand over the worn, wooden grains of the countertop in front of him, Ezra closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He inhaled the scent of sawdust, paint stain, and fresh bait. Overlaying all of it was the ever present salty aroma that could only be produced by the lapping waves only ten feet from the front of the shop he currently ran.

No matter what he was doing, how bad his day was, the combination of sea salt in the air and the smells resonating from the inside of his shop always calmed him. They grounded him and let him clear his head, even if only for a moment.

The slamming of the back door leading in from the work barn out back forced Ezra to open his eyes and turn back to the ledger he had been working on.

"Bro, we have _got_ to buy a new table saw," Wesley griped as he rounded the counter. He stooped to feel for the first aid kit below the register and when he found it, he angrily pulled it from the shelf, throwing it onto the counter, and digging through it for a couple of Band-Aids. Ezra could see a small dab of blood smeared across his brother's hand, not enough to warrant a trip to the emergency room, but enough to cause his stomach to turn over a few times. He quickly diverted his eyes.

"If you used it as I showed you-" Ezra started, only to be cut off but Wesley's curt tone.

"Yeah, yeah," he mocked. "Ezra, the perfect handyman, knows how to use a piece of crap saw perfectly. Thanks for the reminder."

Ezra rolled his eyes and chose not to respond. He'd learned long ago that when his brother got into one of these moods of his, it was best to let him just blow off some steam. It seemed lately that he was having more and more days like this, though.

"I'll price out some new ones this weekend," Ezra said after a few moments. Wesley just shrugged, as if to say he no longer cared. He thought he'd just move on, forget about the small squabble, when Wes threw the kit back under the counter and stood up. The tautness in Wesley's frame, however, told him he was wrong.

"Why bother," Wesley shot over his shoulder, heading back out the way he'd come. "It's not like we can afford to buy anything for this failing excuse of a business."

The loud crash of the door against its frame made Ezra cringe as he turned back to the shop around him. Wesley could gripe. He could complain and sulk all he wanted. No matter what he did or said, though, this was… better. What they had was better. Better than anything they'd ever had before.

He let his gaze wonder over the store. From the messy organization of the bait fridges and tackle racks, to the sawdust swept floors, over to the windows, sprayed with sea foam, which overlooked the harbor. He instantly felt himself relax.

The jingling of the bell above the door to the store alerted him to company. He turned to welcome the visitor and let a small smile grace his features. He wiped his dirty hands against the rough fabric of his jeans and reached across the counter to place a kiss on the cheek of his long-time girlfriend, Maggie.

"Hey, you," he said, genuinely happy to see her.

Maggie smiled back in response before turning to dig through her purse.

Ezra had started dating Maggie when they were only in high school. Being the geeky, loner sort, he had been surprised when she'd sat next to him one day during lunch and asked him out. He should have been embarrassed, he knew that, to have a girl ask him out, but he was beyond thrilled that one of the popular girls had even noticed him. Ezra came to find out later that she'd asked him out on a dare. He still didn't care. They were going on eight years strong now and after everything they'd been through… that was saying a lot.

Maggie let out a squeal of pleasure upon finding whatever she'd been hunting for in her purse. Pulling a strand of paint chips from her bag, she flourished them with a sense of grandeur upon the counter in front of him. She was happily silent, her hands extended as if showing him something he should be catching onto but Ezra stood there, unable to form a response as he didn't seem to understand.

"You… want to paint something?" He questioned, glancing up to see her smile quickly turn into a look of agitation.

"Yes, _Ezra_. I want to paint something," Maggie responded curtly. "I've been telling you that the guest room upstairs needs a fresh coat of paint, along with a complete makeover, for a while now! Have you even been listening to me?"

Ezra sighed. He remembered now, though to be honest he still didn't care all that much about her interest in the room. They'd moved out east to the coast a few years back and bought this shop, along with the living quarters above it, after only a few days. He'd wanted a fresh start, for himself, Maggie and Wes. This place was everything to him and in his opinion, it was perfect the way it was.

Shoving a hand through his dark brown curls, he let out a small sigh. "I have been listening, Maggie. I just don't think that right now is a good time to be acting like Martha Stewart. I have too much going on with the business and school-"

"You're never going to finish that degree," She spat, angrily sweeping the paint chips back into her bag. "You only take one course a semester, Ezra. There are more important things in life than becoming a writer."

The bell once again jingled above the door and Ezra watched as little Peter Johnson came running into the store, his dad right behind him. The little boy headed straight for the bait fridges. Ezra turned back to Maggie.

"Listen, Maggie, right now isn't the time to discuss this. Please," he begged quietly.

Benton Harbor was a small town. There was very little that the population of a little over 1000 didn't hear about. He certainly didn't need a fight between the two of them fueling the local town gossip.

"Whatever," she spat, spinning on her heels. "I'm going out for a coffee with Elizabeth. I'll be home late."

With that, she was gone.

Ezra leaned back heavily against the wall behind him. He watched as Peter and his father picked up various fishing lures from the shelves, the dad happily pointing to products and explaining what they were used for to his son. That was what he wanted, a happy family. The stress brought on by his girlfriend and brother, however, hinted that that dream may be a while off. The two shoppers started for the front of the shop and he pushed off the counter, letting a large smile stretch across his face to ring out his customers. He'd keep smiling, though, and pray for things to turn around… soon.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

 _EZRA_

"Straight flush, read 'em and weep boys," Wes grinned triumphantly, feathering his poker cards across the table for everyone to see. Ezra and the other two guys, Jack and Ethan, groaned with displeasure. They threw their cards on the table and watched Wesley rake in his winnings with disdain.

Taking a swig from his beer, Ezra pulled out his phone to see the time and rolled his eyes upon seeing the two or three missed calls along with a handful of text messages from Maggie. She knew that Thursday nights were poker nights. What was so urgent that he couldn't have a few hours of peace with his brother and friends?

He pushed back from the table. "Five minute break, guys. I'll be back."

"Probably has to call the Mrs.," Jack poked jovially with a wry grin on his face. He took a swig from his beer and knocked his fist with Ethan's.

Wes leaned over and lightly hit his shoulder with his own. "Hey, leave Z alone. At least he has a woman waiting for him at home. All you've got is your dog, and even _she_ doesn't like you."

Ezra turned from the playful banter to step outside Jack's house. Ever since meeting the guys at a town meeting, Ezra and Wesley had joined in on their 'guy's night'. These nights often just consisted of poker, pool, beer… normal guy things. They alternated the location every week to jumble things up but Ezra always looked forward to the regularity of the time together.

Lowering himself to the rocking chair perched on Jack's front porch, Ezra hesitantly hit the redial on his phone. He knew that whatever Maggie had to say would surely put a damper on his evening.

"Ezra! My God, I thought something had happened to you!" Maggie answered after only one ring.

Ezra burrowed his brow in confusion. "I'm fine, Mags. It's poker night and I'm-"

"Out with the boys, I know," Maggie finished for him. "You don't answer my calls or texts, though, and I worry!"

"I'm sorry," he apologized, instantly feeling bad. Even though she knew this was his night out with his friends, he still felt guilty for at least not acknowledging one of her texts or calls. "What's going on?"

When Maggie started to speak, he instantly picked up on the slight quiver to her voice. "I- I… nothing. Nothing's going on. I just wanted to talk with you. I felt horrible about the paint chips this afternoon and I wanted to apologize. Listen, I'll see you when you get back later. Tell the guys I said hi."

Ezra frowned. He wasn't buying her excuse for calling but he also knew that when Maggie wanted to shut herself off, he wasn't getting anything out of her. He'd wait until he got home to talk.

"I will," he responded. "I'll see you in a bit. I love you."

Maggie sighed on the other end of the phone. After a few lengthy moments, she finally responded, "Love you, too."

* * *

Unlocking the door to his loft later that evening, Ezra tiredly ran a hand through his already messed up curls and dropped his keys in the bowl sitting upon the small table next to the entrance. Sometimes he wished that Wesley still lived with them, he had taken almost a half hour driving his drunk ass across town. He'd complained, though, that the area was too small for three adults and Ezra had to agree. It didn't make all the trips across town to help his brother any shorter, though.

"Mags?" He called out quietly, kicking out of his loafers. He didn't hear her response so he headed for the bedroom.

Maggie was already curled up on her side of the bed, hugging a pillow to her chest as she slept. Ezra let out a small sigh. This was her way of getting out of talking about whatever she had really called him for earlier that evening. He decided to not waste any more time dwelling on it and quickly stripped down to his boxers before sliding beneath the covers and swiftly falling asleep.

* * *

When Ezra awoke the following morning, sometime before seven o'clock, he reached across the bed to find that Maggie was already up. Her side of the bed was cool to the touch, telling him she'd been up for some time so he thought it best to go and find her before she left for work. Maggie was a realtor, often getting up at early hours to meet clients at homes before they could be snatched out from under her. It looked like today was another one of those days.

He pulled on a pair of sweatpants before padding out of the bedroom and into the open spaced kitchen/living area. Renovating the loft had taken a lot of time and money that he really couldn't afford but Maggie had insisted that it happen. Their living quarters looked great, though, he would admit to that. The dent in his wallet... he still struggled with that.

Maggie turned her head to watch as he approached where she was just finishing a pot of coffee.

"Morning," Ezra said, trying to shake the sleep from his voice. He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek and he could have sworn that he felt her flinch.

"Good morning," she replied. Her voice was flat, unemotional, leaving Ezra with nothing to guess what was going on inside of her head.

He leaned back against the counter and took her in. She wasn't dressed for work exactly. Her outfit was much too casual, consisting of a pair of jeans and loose fitting sweater. He flicked his eyes around her and noticed the bags by the front door. That caused him to instantly straighten and any cobwebs left over from his sleep were brushed away.

"Maggie? What's going on?" He asked with concern.

She grabbed for the coffee pot, filling up a traveling mug as she answered. "I'm going to visit my parents for a bit. It's been a while since I've seen them and… I really just want to visit with my family."

"Ok…" Ezra trailed off in confusion. She knew he wouldn't go with her, that's why she hadn't even bothered asking. "How long will you be gone?"

She shrugged non-committedly. "I'm not sure. I'll let you know when I get there, though."

She turned and headed for the door, swiping her keys from the key bowl. Ezra rushed after her.

"Can we at least talk about your call last night before you go?" He asked, running a ragged hand across the stubble forming on his cheeks. It wasn't even day break and he felt like he'd just finished running a marathon. There was something going on here and he was nervous.

"I already told you," Maggie answered. "I wanted to apologize for our little fight. It was nothing, Ezra. It's fine so drop it, please."

The way the words rushed from her lips told him that it was anything but fine.

"Then tell me why you're rushing out to Pennsylvania," Ezra snapped. "You know I won't go out there so I have a feeling you're going there on purpose."

Ezra watched as Maggie's shoulders dropped an inch or two, relaxing her frame in exhaustion.

"I'm not going out there to spite you, Ezra," she quietly responded. She ran a hand over her mess of short hair and stopped to grab her purse and the handle of the rolling bag. "I just… I need to think… about things. I need to get my head clear before talking with you. I promise, though, that we'll talk."

"What things? At least throw me a bone," he begged.

Maggie turned and opened the door. She hesitated a moment before turning and pressing a soft kiss to his cheek.

"Give me time, Z," she whispered and he could hear the tears brimming her voice.

Before Ezra could respond, or shake the confusion from his body, she was gone, softly closing the door behind her. He stood for a moment in complete shock. They'd had their ups and downs, as any normal couple did, but he didn't feel that anything was too bad between them that they couldn't talk. They always talked, sometimes too much in his opinion.

Shaking his head, he came to his senses. He ripped open the front door but watched in disdain as she peeled out of the driveway, a cloud of smoke trailing her as she left.

 _ **I want to thank everyone for checking out my story and welcoming me back! It's great to have such loyal readers and I can't express my gratitude for each of you enough! With that said, please review! Reviews make me want to write more! Love you all!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

 _ **EZRA**_

Slamming the phone back into its cradle, Ezra stood up in frustration and paced across the room. His office was small, almost too small, and he often felt claustrophobic. Being as exasperated as he was now definitely made the anxiety ten times worse. A soft rapping at the door frame caught his attention and Ezra wearily turned his head to see Wesley standing there.

"How are you holding up?" Wes asked, leaning against the door jamb. He shoved his hands into his pockets and regarded Ezra with a concerned gaze.

Ezra sighed before collapsing back into his desk chair and leaning his head back to stare up at the ceiling. "I'm alright. Every time I try calling, she either ignores the call or answers and hangs up before I have a chance to say anything. It's frustrating."

His brother nodded with understanding. He came to sit down in the only other chair in the room, one directly across from Ezra's desk.

Maggie had left for Pennsylvania almost a month ago now. Contradictory to her parting statement, she didn't call. She didn't text or even attempt in any way to reach out to him, to let him know what was going on. Ezra was beyond irritated with her.

"She did this on purpose," Ezra spat venomously. "She knows I won't return to that hell hole so she ran there, for whatever reason, knowing she wouldn't have to worry about me chasing after her."

Wesley nodded his head in agreement. He couldn't fault Ezra in his logic, he'd ran from that place as fast as his legs could carry him. He'd followed his brother out and hadn't once turned back.

"Have you tried calling-"

"No," Ezra snapped, instantly stopping Wesley from uttering the name he so despised.

Wes raised his hands in mock surrender. "Sorry, it was just a suggestion."

They sat in silence for a moment or two, Ezra mentally counting down the minutes until his next call to Maggie. He'd been religiously calling her almost every hour of each day since she'd gone. He knew it was a tad obsessive compulsive but he couldn't, no he _wouldn't_ , give up hope.

Slapping his hands against the knees of his jeans, Wesley flashed him a crooked grin before standing up and shoving his hands into the front pockets of his jeans.

"We're getting out of here," he stated with authority. He reached over and snatched up Ezra's car keys from the desk, twirling the key ring around his finger like a school boy.

Ezra shook his head after glancing at the clock on the far wall.

"It's only three o'clock, Wes. We can't afford to close early, you know that."

Wesley started backing towards the door.

"Every employee has a right to a sick day, Z. We're cashing in on ours now, the place will survive a day without us," he turned and headed for the exit, giving Ezra no choice but to follow.

* * *

" _With the lights out, it's less dangerous. Here we are now, entertain us. I feel stupid and contagious. Here we are now, entertain us."_

Ezra lifted his cold beer to his lips and took a long, slow drag from the bottle as he let the sound of the classic 90's rock band, Nirvana, swell around him. He hadn't listened to music like this since high school. He also probably hadn't drank this much since around then as well.

Wesley, sitting next to him nursing a glass of scotch on the rocks, laughed loudly in response to the elaborate story from the young man sitting next to him. His brother had dragged him to Larry's, a local dive bar that brought in the same crowd day in and day out. In the summer time, a few strangling tourists or college kids from the few towns nearby would come staggering in but that was rare. Ezra was always amazed that no matter the time of day, you could count on at least a handful of the same patrons to be there. He would bite his tongue, however, on whether or not these actions qualified as alcoholism.

"How's the shop, Ezra?"

Ezra turned to address the older gentleman who had just sat down beside him. With grey strewn throughout his mostly full head of hair and overgrown beard, Bullet looked almost elderly. He'd received his nickname from catching stray shrapnel in the Vietnam War, so Ezra guessed he was old enough to be considered a senior but his youthful demeanor argued against any and all elderly stigmas.

Ezra shrugged and picked at the label to his bottle. "It's going ok, I guess. Nothing too spectacular going on. How about you? How's Ruth?"

"Lovely as ever," Bullet answered with a whimsical smile. The bartender came over and placed a cold Budweiser before him, not even asking for his order. He didn't need to. "I hear you've been having some lady troubles though."

Bullet took Ezra's silence as confirmation of the rumors swirling around town. He sat for a moment, staring at the sports scores scrolling across the television. Ezra almost wished he'd drop the conversation but knowing Bullet, he wouldn't give up so easily.

"Have you ever been mountain climbing?"

Ezra snapped his head round to look at Bullet with confusion. "Mountain climbing? Can't say that I have."

"Ruth and I went once for our fifth wedding anniversary," he continued, never once tearing his eyes from the TV. "This was back before we had children, when time was all that we had. She brought up the idea and I thought it sounded like the silliest thing I'd ever heard of. Who goes mountain climbing for their anniversary?"

Ezra flicked his hand towards the bar tender, signaling for another drink as Bullet continued.

"Anyways, here we are, climbing 5 to 10 thousand feet above normal ground level. Ruth was nagging at me the whole time, telling me we weren't going fast enough, that we had probably climbed the wrong trail. We quickly ran out of food, not properly packing for such an experience, and the air was hard to breath. I wanted to turn around, to say we'd tried but it was time to go home. You know what Ruth said to me?"

Ezra shook his head, unsure of where this story was going.

"She said 'Bullet, stop being a pussy. Now get your ass moving'."

Ezra about spit out his beer with laughter. He wiped the corner of his mouth and chuckled as he grabbed a napkin.

"You see women have this way of knowing what really pushes our buttons. They say and do stuff that really pisses us off but when you find the right woman… the right woman makes you a better man."

Ezra nodded in agreement.

"How do you know when you've found her, though?" He asked quietly, staring down into the amber bottle cocooned into his hands.

Bullet didn't answer for a minute or two. "Would you be questioning if she was the right one if she hadn't put you through what you're dealing with now?"

Ezra wasn't sure how to answer. He'd thought that he and Maggie were solid, that they had something to last a lifetime. Towards the end, though, it seemed like she was unhappy with everything.

"Next one's on me," Bullet said with an understanding smile. He clinked his bottle to Ezra's and turned back towards the television.

* * *

"Man I need some water or something," Wesley groaned as he collapsed on Ezra's couch. It was a little after midnight, they'd spent a good portion of the day at the bar, drowning their sorrows in alcohol. Ezra was sure they'd be paying for it tomorrow.

He headed for the fridge and grabbed a couple of water bottles out, tossing one at his brother. It bounced off his chest as he lay with his eyes closed but the impact caused them to pop open and glare angrily up at him. Wes rolled off the couch, to his knees and pulled the bottle out from under the coffee table. He stopped for a moment before reaching back under the table and pulling out Ezra's house phone. The light indicating unheard voicemails was flashing red.

"Hey, Z, I think someone might have tried calling your land line."

Ezra dropped his water onto the counter and practically jumped over the couch to grab the phone. He'd forgotten he'd thrown it down there after Maggie had refused to answer another one of his calls. He was praying that this message was from her, though.

Taking the phone into his clammy palm, Ezra headed for the bedroom. He didn't need an audience right now and he could still feel Wesley's eyes following him as he disappeared. Landing heavily on the mattress, he shakily pressed the correct buttons to access the voicemail and nervously lifted the phone to his ear.

"Ms. Cutler, this is Dr. Carter. I've left a couple of messages for you on your cell phone and I'm sorry to be reaching out to your emergency number now but it is important that I talk with you."

Ezra's heart starting pounding. This was a doctor, was Maggie sick? Was that why she had left? The message continued…

"From our brief conversation a few weeks ago, I wanted to make sure that you were following through with what I recommended. I still have the prescriptions for prenatals and other various supplements that are crucial during these early weeks. Please call us back to let us know if you would like to come get them or if you've decided to go elsewhere. Thank you."

Ezra dropped the phone to the floor, stunned into silence. Prenatals? Supplements? She- she was pregnant? In that moment, his world came to a stop.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

 _4 Years Later…_

 _ **ARIA**_

Carrying the load of new arrivals through the employee entrance in the back, Aria grunted with the strained effort but kept her eyes locked on the front display case. She wove around book shelves and carefully sidestepped lounging chairs before finally reaching her destination. She let out a sigh of relief upon unloading the stack of books into their designated home.

"You know, I could have helped you if you'd asked," Emily chastised from behind her. Aria glanced over her shoulder and shot her friend a meek grin.

"I know, Em," Aria responded, turning back to align the books just so. "There weren't that many, I thought I could handle them myself. Thanks for the offer though."

Emily just rolled her eyes, but her smile told Aria that she really wasn't that upset. Dusting her hands off on her floral print dress, Aria turned around and waved her arms around in grandeour.

"Welcome to the big leagues," Aria smiled brightly. When Emily shot her brows up in confusion, Aria continued with her explanation. "We are no longer on the waiting list for new books! They're calling us! I got the call just this morning that a shipment would be arriving and wouldn't you know it, we have thirty to forty copies of Alison DiLaurentis' new novel!"

Emily scoffed and headed back behind the counter to start a new batch of coffee brewing. "I'd rather get new copies of Harry Potter or something. You'd think for someone we used to go to school with that Alison would be more personable. That she'd want to reach out to her home town and make an appearance. No, she'd rather go on talk shows and radio skits, ignoring us all together. I'm over her."

Aria couldn't say she didn't agree with Emily's assertion of their former classmate but Aria also couldn't argue with the revenue her books brought in for her little shop. She brushed Emily's comments off, therefore, and headed back for her office.

"Make sure you brew some decaf today as well, Em," Aria called over her shoulder. "I don't need any more patrons complaining about the caffeine high in the air."

She didn't hear her friend's response but she could most definitely see her rolling her eyes in response behind her back and scoffing in disgrace. Aria was as helpless when it came to the java kick as anyone she knew, but that didn't mean that had to have everything infused with enough caffeine to jump start a Cadillac. Emily disagreed.

Lowering into her desk chair, Aria pushed a few stray strands of hair behind her ear before booting up her computer. She'd started this small bookstore after graduating from Hollis University with a degree in English Literature. Emily, one of her best friends from high school, had graduated with a degree in business and together they pooled their funds to buy a corner shop in the middle of Rosewood, the town they'd grown up in. Being the 21st century, however, Aria often had difficulties keeping the book store afloat. That's when they expanded into a coffee and baked goods café as well. It was perfect, attracting a wide realm of customers and allowing her and Emily to do what they really loved.

She clicked through a few emails before her eyes landed on an inbox message from the local adoption agency. Aria had become the legal guardian of her younger brother, Mike, when she was only twenty. Their parents had passed away unexpectedly in a car accident on their way home from Philadelphia one night, Aria could still remember the cops showing up at their front door. Mike, then only a freshman in high school, was going to be turned over to the foster system but Aria couldn't let that happen. She'd pleaded to the courts to have custody over him and had somehow, by the grace of god and with a little help from her parent's wealthy name, won out.

She closed out of the email without really reading what it said. She got a lot of them on an almost weekly basis, asking for donations for the local foster home or for sponsorship of a child or adolescent. As much as Aria wanted to help… that was a big step. She didn't know if she could ever do that again after raising her brother basically by herself.

Turning towards the stack of posters on her desk, she dove into preparing the advertisements for next week's author readings. If anything, this place sure kept her busy.

* * *

An hour after closing, sometime before nine, a knock forced Aria to tear her attention from amateur scripts she'd started editing after lunch. Emily stood at the door jamb, twirling her car keys around her index finger and chewing loudly on a piece of gum.

"It's well past time to get out of here, Ar," she said. Hooking her thumb towards the front door, she continued. "I've locked up already and closed out the register. Spencer and Toby are going to meet me over at the Rosewood Grill for a bite if you're up for it."

Aria nodded, shoving her papers into a crumpled mess before standing and stretching her aching joints. "Sure, meet you there?"

Emily smiled in response and saluted her friend before turning and pushing out the back exit. Aria rounded the desk and checked twice to ensure Emily was really gone before double checking that the front door was indeed locked and all but the dimmer lights were off. Her friend, as much as she loved her, sometimes thought she did things but often forgot. Aria would rather double check than risk being robbed.

Following the dim light emanating from her office and the back door's exit sign, Aria had just passed through the last stack of books when she heard it. A soft hiccup and shuffling sound, barely audible, sounded from children's area on the other side of the store. Confusion graced Aria's features as she followed the light cries.

Aria stepped over the forgotten Lincoln logs and carefully brushed past the stacks of legos covering the children's play area. Rhyme books and children's folklores stacked counter high in areas, keeping Aria from locating the source of the noise. She was just beginning to think that she'd imagined it, when a bean bag chair, pushed far into the corner, moved ever so slightly.

"Hello?" Aria called out gently, not wanting to frighten whomever was there. She wasn't granted a response.

Edging closer to the bag, she lowered to her knees and gently pushed it aside. The sight before her caused her heart to catch in her throat.

The little girl could be only two or three years old. Tear tracks lined her face and dirt clung to her disheveled clothes. Aria could see that her once pretty soft, brown curls, were now ratted up and tangled. How she'd gotten so dirty was beyond her. The child shook with fear and shrunk as far back into the corner as she could get.

"Hi, Sweety," Aria cooed softly. "I'm Aria. What's your name?"

The little girl looked at her for a few lengthy moments and Aria began to wonder if she even knew how to talk when she finally spoke up.

"Av-Ava," the toddler whispered, a lisp turning the two syllable name into three.

"That's such a pretty name, Ava," Aria replied, brightening her smile and reaching a hand towards the child. Ava shrunk back and Aria instantly retracted the hand. "Are you lost? We've closed up shop but I can call your mommy or daddy for you if you'd like?"

Ava shook her head vigilantly. "I'ze not got a mommy or taddy," she hiccupped. Staring up at her with tear filled eyes, she pleaded, "Pwease don't send me back to da kiddy home."

Aria sat there confused for a moment. The kiddie home? Then it clicked. Ava must have ran off from the orphanage group that had come through earlier that day for story time. Aria made a quick decision, she couldn't leave the child alone for the night.

"Well, I can't call the home now, Sweetheart," Aria told her gently. "They're closed up for the night. How about this, though. Are you hungry?"

A light came into Ava's eyes and she nodded timidly.

"I have a taste for some pizza," Aria continued. She decided that it might be best to blow off her friends, not wanting to scare the child with a large crowd. Pizza at home sounded like a better choice. She smiled warmly at the little girl and once again offered her hand. "How about you come with me, then, and we'll get some. Does that sound ok?"

Ava seemed to mull this over for a moment before nodding in agreement. She took Aria's hand uncertainly and let her pull her to her feet. Aria looked down at her and faltered only a second before heading for the exit.

What had she just gotten herself into?


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

 _ **ARIA**_

"Aria! Aria, help me!" Mike cried.

Aria felt her heart pounding, the sweat beading down her neck. She turned in endless circles, searching fruitlessly for her brother. Everything was dark, shapes unclear within the murkiness. As she spun and spun, Mike's cries got louder.

His voice suddenly started to morph. She was no longer hearing the adult-like candor his voice had acquired over the years. Now she was listening to the cries of a scared, frightened fourteen year old.

"Aria?" Mike called.

Aria strained her eyes, praying to see something, anything, that would lead her to her brother.

"Mike! Mike, I'm here," Aria called out to him. The tiny veins in her head throbbed with pressure and Aria felt as if her heart would explode out of her chest at any moment.

"Aria!... Aria?... Awia?"

Aria's eyes popped open without warning. She tried to calm her racing heart as she stared at the dimpled ceiling above her head. She hadn't had one of those nightmares in a while, the kind that left her feeling helpless, unable to care for her brother when he needed her. The court had mandated therapy sessions after she'd acquired guardianship of him and the therapist had told her that the nightmares were a mirror of the inner doubts she had about raising her brother. He was an adult now, though, off to college at Penn State. So why were the nightmares starting again?

"Awia!" A tiny voice again called from down the hall.

Aria's pulse quickened for a moment, forgetting that she had a house guest. She ran a hand tiredly through her bed strewn hair before pushing the covers off of her sweaty body and standing up. She gave herself a shaky second to recollect her bearings before heading down the hall to her old room.

There were tears streaming down Ava's face when Aria softly rapped on the door and poked her head in. She was crying, but not the boisterous, wet whaling that most children her age were accustomed to. The little girl wept silently, as if practiced, to hide the fact that she was hurting. Aria felt her heart almost rip in two at the sight.

"Hey, Ava love," She cooed softly, coming over to sit down gently on the mattress. "What's the matter? Please don't cry."

Ava hiccupped and turned to wipe her snotty nose on the sleeve of one of Mike's old t-shirts that Aria had donned her in earlier that evening. Aria turned and grabbed a rag off of the nightstand and reached forward to pat dry the child's face. She was pleasantly surprised when Ava, for once, didn't flinch away. Instead, she sat extremely still, almost unsure how to react to the simple act of kindness.

"I'ze had a bad dwean," Ava whispered when Aria was done cleaning her face.

Aria smiled at her kindly. It was funny the little things like this that they had in common tonight. "Do you want to talk about it? I'm a really good listener."

Ava shook her head vehemently, causing Aria to sigh with defeat. She'd tried all evening to get Ava to talk to her, bribing the little girl with pizza and cookies and cartoons. Nothing. In fact, this was the first full sentence she'd uttered since the bookstore. Aria scratched it up as a small victory regardless.

"You know," Aria started, reaching above Ava's head for a stuffed rabbit that sat on the wall-mounted shelf. "I used to have bad dreams all the time when I was a little girl."

"You did?" Ava asked, almost in a whisper.

Aria nodded. She thought a moment, petting the rabbit in remembrance, before continuing.

"I didn't have anyone to really talk with about them. My mommy and daddy were always so hard at work and my brother was just a baby. My grandfather, though, he gave me Cottonball."

Ava stared up at her in confusion, not really following, so Aria motioned towards the toy.

"Cottonball is my stuffed rabbit," Aria explained with a smile. "He's the best listener I know and he won't tell anyone what you've told him. Maybe you'd like to borrow him?"

Ava sat, clearly unsure as to what to do, so Aria made it easier and offered the plush toy to her. Ava reached out with tiny hands and gripped the soft fur, no longer hesitating before gripping the animal tight to her chest. Aria couldn't help but to smile at the sight. She'd known Ava only a few precious hours but the girl was already tugging at her heart strings.

When Aria was sure that the girl had fallen asleep some minutes later, she gently pushed to her feet and quietly padded towards the door. She stopped a minute, hand on the frame before turning once more to take in the sleeping child, curled in a ball on her old childhood sheets.

She again couldn't help but to question… what had she gotten herself into?

* * *

Aria straightened her purse on her shoulder and smoothed her hair back off of forehead before taking Ava's hand and heading for the front door of the orphanage the following morning. When Ava didn't move, however, she was forced to stop and turn towards the child sympathetically.

"Pwease don't takes me back," Ava pleaded, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks.

Aria nervously lowered to one knee in front of the toddler and reached forward to cup her cheek.

"Ava… I can't just keep you, sweetheart," Aria tried to explain. "I could get in some big trouble if someone found out. Besides, don't you miss your friends?"

Ava fervently shook her head, the tears officially breaking loose to course down her cheeks.

"No, pwease, I wanna stay wit you!"

Aria was saved any more pleading when a voice piped up behind her.

"Ava! There you are!"

An elderly woman, almost old enough to be considered a grandmother, came to stand beside where Aria kneeled. She reached down towards Ava, who instantly pressed in close to Aria, trying to avoid the woman's touch.

"Ava," the lady chided. Aria stood from her crouched position and turned towards her. Offering a hand and a warm smile, she greeted, "Hi, there. I'm Mrs. Pilmington. You are?"

"Aria Montgomery," Aria answered, shaking her hand. "I found Ava yesterday, hiding in my bookstore."

The woman nodded, almost as if this news didn't surprise her. "Ava likes to play hide-and-seek. She's a hard one to keep a hold of. Why don't the two of you come inside?"

Ava again started protesting but Aria nodded in agreement and reached down to gently tug the toddler alongside her. Stepping into the building, Aria realized that the place was nothing like what she remembered. Mike had been here only a day or two before Aria had obtained custody but within that time, she'd gotten to know the place quite well. She'd been there almost every waking moment to visit with him. The place, as she remembered, had been spacious, warm and welcoming. There weren't too many children, just the right number, and the staff had been friendly. Walking past the receptionist now, Aria was greeted with a questioning gaze and uncaring attitude. There were children running everywhere and the noise was deafening.

Mrs. Pilmington led the pair into a back corner office. Hand painted pictures lined the walls, and overgrown ferns hung from the ceiling in the corner. She turned towards Ava and kneeled as much as her older knees would let her.

"Ava, dear, why don't you go find Erica? She can check you over and offer some juice and crackers?"

Ava shook her head, refusing to leave Aria's side. The older lady sighed in defeat before straightening and turning around to sit in her desk chair. She pushed a button on her phone and then sat for a moment before pushing her square framed glasses further up her nose and turning to rifle through the papers littering her desk. When she found the file she desired, she pulled it free and turned towards Aria with a smile.

"Ms. Montgomery, I do want to apologize for the inconvenience that we've bestowed upon you. You've been a tremendous help, however, in keep Ava safe until now."

Aria nodded, a small blush coming to fill her cheeks. "It was nothing. I'm sure anyone would have done the same."

"You'd be surprised," was the quick answer she received. Ms Pilmington turned towards the folder and began jotting down a few things. After a moment or two of nothing but pencil scratchings against the paper, she glanced towards Ava. "This… situation, unfortunately, is going to force us into reconsidering Ava's position here at Rosewood Children Advocacy. Ava has liked to test her boundaries, even at the tender age of three, since she arrived. This will be another mark in her records that, unfortunately, the state will be unable to look over."

Aria sat stunned. How much trouble could a three year get into? She understood that running away was a bad thing, but was it horrible enough to send her away to another home? Where would she go? Aria felt her heart pick up speed. Before she had a chance to respond, however, the door was pushed open and a plump, middle aged woman wearing a frock and headband came into the room. She approached Ava, not even attempting to be gentle or caring, and popped her gum loudly before reaching down and pulling the child to her feet.

"Ms. Ava," the lady chided. "Where's you been, girl? Come on, time to check you over."

She nodded towards Ms. Pilmington before practically dragging Ava kicking and screaming from the room. Aria jumped to her feet, intent at chasing after them.

"Ms Montgomery," Ms. Pilmington addressed her, forcing her to whirl towards her. "Please excuse Erica's obtuse nature but you have to understand that state laws require us to care for each and every child, even to extreme measures, when situations such as these occur."

She took a deep breath before standing and taking Aria's hand in her own. "Thank you again for your generous help with Ava. I couldn't have hoped for a nicer woman to find her."

"But-"

Ms. Pilmington's stare stopped whatever Aria was about to say. Her breath lodged in her throat and she glanced back at the door longingly. Aria understood now why Ava hadn't wanted to come back here. This place seemed horrible.

The elderly woman started around the desk and took Aria's elbow, leading her out of the office and towards the exit. Stopping just shy of the automatic doors, she again pushed the glasses she wore up her nose and smiled warmly at her.

"Thank you again, Dear."

Aria stood shocked for a moment, taking in what was happening. She wasn't welcome to stay here any longer. She'd cared for Ava, to which they were grateful, but they were dutifully sworn to take care of these children and to them, Aria was a stranger. She took a deep breath, sending a prayer out for the well-being of the little girl, before heading out into the mid-morning sun.

She'd just stepped outside when a warm body crushed into her, almost forcing her from her feet. She stumbled a step and a set of hands came to out to steady her. Looking up, her breath caught in throat. She was staring into the most beautiful set of brown eyes that she'd ever seen.

 **Thank you all for your reviews and continued following of this story, I look forward to the reviews every time I post a new chapter! As for the questions about what is going on and where this story is headed, you'll just have to keep reading to find out! My other stories got similar reviews within the first couple of chapter but I think everyone liked them well enough ;) Keep following along and I promise, I'll try to make it worth your while!**


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER SIX**

 _ **ARIA**_

Stumbling back a few steps, Aria felt a hand come to catch her elbow and she looked up to once again become engulfed in the warm, brown eyes staring back at her.

"I'm so sorry," the man said. He worriedly glanced over her for a moment and Aria had to repress the shudder that ran up her spine at the intimate action. There was a spark to his touch, causing her breath to catch in her throat.

"Are you ok?" He asked. She could hear the breathy, uncertainty to his tone, hinting that he might be feeling the terse air that lingered between them.

Aria felt herself nod imperceptibly, unable to vocalize the response. She took in his messy brown curls and tan, weather worn skin. He seemed like a guy that worked outdoors, or at least enjoyed outdoor activities. His broken in Sperry's and plaid, button down shirt, however, hinted towards more of a prestigious upbringing rather than a rural homestead. Swallowing the rock that seemed to be lodged in her throat, she again nodded and hoisted her fallen shoulder bag again onto her arm before responding.

"I'm ok," She told him. "It was partially my fault for not watching where I was going."

The man flashed her an adorable grin, his dimples capitalizing the heart melting gesture. He held out his hand once again, this time for her to shake.

"I'm Ezra," he introduced himself.

"Aria," she responded, a small smile finding its way to her face. She was unable to stop herself from mirroring the happy attitude radiating off of him.

The buzzing in her pocket tore Aria from the moment they were sharing, however confusing it was, and she glanced at him apologetically before fishing the device from her jeans.

"Shoot," she said as she read the text from Emily. "I've got to get going. It was nice meeting you, Ezra."

"You too," he responded quietly, never once tearing his eyes from her. She could tell he wanted to say more, but not really knowing each other, she was sure he held himself back due to uncertainty.

She flashed him one last smile before heading towards her car. Against her better judgement, Aria glanced back over her shoulder when she reached the vehicle. She was surprised to see that Ezra was continuing to watch her as she left.

 _ **EZRA**_

"Mr. Fitzgerald, it's nice to see you again," Mrs. Pilmington greeted as Ezra took a seat in the chair opposite her desk. He reached across to shake her hand and offered a warm smile.

"Have you heard anything?" He asked, cutting right to the chase.

The elderly woman sighed, shaking her head regretfully.

"I'm sorry, Ezra," she answered. "I check the backgrounds of every child that comes through these doors but we haven't seen anyone with yourself or Maggie Cutler listed as the biological parent."

Ezra released a disheartened sigh and slumped back dejectedly in the chair. "You'll call me if you hear anything? Anything at all?"

Mrs. Pilmington nodded warmly. "Absolutely."

Leaving the home, Ezra looked up at the skies and decided to take a walk to clear his head.

Maggie had disappeared from his life over four years ago. He'd called, texted, emailed… basically trying every way of communication, short of actually driving out to Pennsylvania, to get a hold of her. Nothing.

The words from the doctor's voicemail rang through his head every day. They repeated enough that he began to question his rules for avoiding driving to where he knew she'd fled. His brother Wesley, having grown sick of his constant phone watching, finally laid it out for him. He was drowning in the ifs. What if Maggie really was pregnant? What if there was another man? What if she was just afraid of how he'd react? Wes gave him an ultimatum. Either drive to Pennsylvania to find her or get over it, he clearly wasn't going to hear from her over the phone.

A year had gone by, enough time that Ezra was sure she had to have had the baby by now if she'd gone through with the pregnancy. He finally mustered up the courage to drive west to Philadelphia. Growing up there hadn't given him a pleasant childhood so he wasn't eager for the return. He couldn't, however, ignore the situation that was Maggie Cutler, any longer.

 _3 years Prior…_

 _After driving for what felt like hours, Ezra signaled to the left and pulled his car off the main road. The crunching of the limestone gravel under the tires seemed to palpitate in rhythm with his heartbeat. His clutch grew more slippery with each passing second as the sweat dewed in his palm and just seeing the house he was pulling up to caused his heart to race._

 _He slowed the car to a stop just outside the door and waved off the grounds man that came rushing from the car port. Steeling himself, he took in a deep breath and slowly climbed the steps to the grand front entrance. Before he had a chance to knock, however, the door was opened, revealing an elderly man clutching a cool glass of amber alcohol. The sleek silver of his finely combed hair and the reverence with which he held himself still had Ezra feeling as if he had shrunk a few inches. He came out onto the front steps and closed the door behind him, not giving Ezra the opportunity to enter the home._

" _Ezra," Mr. Cutler greeted curtly. "How can I help you?"_

" _You know why I'm here," Ezra asked without preamble._

 _The older man took a sip of his drink, regarding Ezra coolly. "I don't believe that I do. It's been quite a while."_

 _Ezra nodded. He took a breath before continuing. "I'm here to see Maggie. Is she here?"_

" _Ah, there it is," Mr. Cutler smirked. Ezra could tell by the tone of his voice that he had known why is was there and he'd simply enjoyed toying with his emotions. "I'm afraid she isn't home at the moment."_

 _Ezra started to seethe. "When will she be back?" Ezra spat._

" _I can't tell you," her father answered, unfazed by Ezra's growing anger. "I will cut to the point of your visit, however, and tell you that her little… problem, let's call it, has been taken care of. You really don't need to see her."_

 _Ezra's heart almost stopped at his remark. What did he mean, taken care of? Did she…_

 _Reading the emotions across Ezra's face, Mr. Cutler jumped in to clarify. "Dear God, boy, I don't mean she had an abortion. We're not monsters, we couldn't force her to kill a child due to a mistake. No, the child was given up for adoption."_

 _Ezra wasn't sure that he completely believed him. "Why wouldn't you simply reach out to me? I would have taken the baby, that's my child!"_

 _Mr. Cutler laughed at this, as if Ezra's offer was simply ridiculous. "You raise a child? You're no more than a child yourself, as is Maggie. To think that either of you would be equipped enough to handle such a situation is egregious. Trust me, Ezra, this is best for the both of you."_

 _He turned for the house once more, stilling as he placed a hand on the door handle before turning one last time to Ezra._

" _You should stop by and see your mother. She'd be happy to know that you're in town."_

 _That was a kick to the stomach. Mr. Cutler knew of the relationship he currently held with his mother, it was the entire reason his daughter had fled states over with him. Ignoring the hot sentiment, he spun on his heels and headed for his car._

* * *

Ezra passed through the town of Rosewood, Pennsylvania, seeing little more than tiny store after store and building after building. As the early afternoon sun lowered towards the horizon, he spent his day watching the world around him but seeing nothing. He'd been through this whirlwind for years now, feeling as if the journey would never end. Having thought through the situation until he was sure there was nothing more to think about, Ezra had dished out for a private investigator. What he'd uncovered, however, had been next to nothing. Maggie's records were sealed, something he hadn't expected and he wasn't sure why. He couldn't find out when or where she'd had the baby. There was no trail to follow or bread crumb to chase. That didn't stop him, however, from searching through every adoption home and orphanage from the east coast to Ohio. He made the same trips to the couple of orphanages he thought would be his best bet on a monthly basis. The records couldn't stayed sealed forever and when they were unlocked, he'd be there to find his child.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

 _ **EZRA**_

"Excuse me, Mister," a tiny voice rang out from behind him.

Ezra, sitting on a park bench overlooking the town square, turned in question and found a boy, no more than ten or eleven, staring at him in wait.

"Yes?"

"My ball," he explained, pointing towards the ground underneath the bench upon which Ezra sat. "It rolled beneath you. Can I get it back, please?"

Ezra nodded briefly and reached beneath the bench for the object in question. Pulling the almost pristine baseball from the grungy sidewalk, he stared a moment at the red stitching and ran the pad of his thumb over the smooth leather. What he wouldn't give to be a child again.

He shook the longing from his mind and handed the ball back to the boy.

"Thank you," he piped happily before turning and jogging back to his group of friends waiting across the square. Ezra watched him go, again wondering where the time had gone for what was sure to be the umpteenth time in the past few years. It was ironic how as a child, time seemed to stretch on forever. Kids couldn't wait to grow up and become adults but once you actually _were_ an adult… well the glamour wasn't all that it was cracked up to be.

He glanced at the face of his cell phone and startled at the time, it was now nearing dinner time. He'd lounged around Rosewood practically all day. Ezra flipped through the numerous texts from his brother and friends. Everyone had started to worry about his obsession with finding Maggie and their child, with good reason he supposed. It was hard, though, to let go of something so monumental.

Ezra shot a quick text back to his brother, letting him know that he'd be getting a bite to eat but that he'd be on the road home soon. The drive was only a little over an hour, he'd be driving in the dark a bit, but he didn't want Wesley to worry anymore. Stuffing the phone back into his pocket, he stood from the bench and stretched his tired joints. He glanced around the small town center and noticed a dimly lit tavern tucked away between a dry cleaners and antique shop. The dusty, almost unreadable sign hanging above the entrance read 'Snooker's.'

"Perfect," Ezra muttered to himself. He wasn't in any mood to deal with the prying eyes of the locals crowding the popular eateries in town. This bar looked small enough to avoid the mainstream eye, just what he wanted right now. He quickly headed across the street.

Pushing through the heavy walnut door, Ezra had to let his eyes adjust for a moment before moving towards the stools lining the bar counter on the far side of the room. The dull lighting and neon lights advertising random beer companies were barely able to light his path to the seats. He'd just sat down, taking in the rustic atmosphere of the joint, when his eyes landed on the woman sitting a few stools over, her nose buried in a large novel. Ezra couldn't stop the smile from filling his face.

"How can you possibly see anything with the lighting in here?" He asked jokingly.

Aria, confusion clouding her features, glanced towards him. Recognition easily replaced the confusion and she smiled slightly before looking back down at her book.

"I come here a lot, my eyes can adjust fairly well," was her response. She glanced back up at him, almost shyly.

"I'm not a heavier drinker or anything," she rushed to explain. "I'm family friends with the guy who owns the place. It's a fast and cheap dinner."

Ezra nodded in understanding but didn't comment. A beer was placed in front of him, he must have ordered it at some point, and he picked it up to languidly sip at the cold refreshment. He unabashedly studied Aria. She was much prettier than he'd remembered, her chestnut brown hair curling down to her shoulders and sun kissed skin radiant under the pub's lights. She was a petite woman, probably half his size, but that made her even cuter in Ezra's opinion.

Swallowing away the nervousness that suddenly constricted his throat, Ezra decided to grow a pair and moved to sit next to Aria. She startled at the action but didn't move away so he took that as a good sign and pushed forward.

"What would you recommend? Off of the menu I mean," he asked.

Aria seemed to think for a moment, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. "The meatball sub is pretty good, or the Philly cheesesteak." Shrugging she continued, "But really everything on the menu is pretty delicious. I think I've sampled it all by this point."

The silence that followed her answer was comfortable but she soon closed her book, probably coming to the conclusion that Ezra wanted some company and it would be rude to keep hidden in the novel.

"Can I buy you a drink?" Ezra asked with a smile. "I mean, I know that you're not an alcoholic or anything but-"

"Sure," Aria laughed, cutting off his ramble. "I'll have a Crown and Coke."

Ezra chuckled as he flagged down the bartender and ordered the drink. "Whiskey, huh? I pegged you more as a fruity drink kind of girl."

"Fruity?"

Ezra nodded. "Something along the lines of a daiquiri or wine cooler. Maybe a long island or cosmo if you were feeling ambitious."

"Well maybe you've been hanging out with the wrong kind of girls," Aria responded cheekily.

Ezra stared at her, unable to tear his eyes away from her face as their playfulness turned into something… more. "Maybe I have," he said huskily.

Aria blushed at the intimacy that seemed to suddenly cloud the room and thanked the bartender for her drink once it arrived. Ezra took a moment to abide by her suggestion and placed an order for the meatball sub. A girl who liked red meats and whiskey? He might have to visit Rosewood more often. A nagging at the back of his mind, however, reminded him of why he was there. Could he afford to let something as benign as girls cloud his mission?

"I haven't seen you around before," Aria spoke up, breaking him out of his thoughts. "And Rosewood's a pretty small town. Newcomers are hard to miss."

"It's nowhere near as small as where I'm from," Ezra chuckled. He took another drag from his beer before continuing. "I'm just passing through."

Ezra could have sworn he saw disappointment flash across Aria's face and the reaction tugged at his heart.

"Well… that's too bad," Aria stumbled. "Rosewood has a lot to offer."

Ezra's smile, if possible, grew at her nervousness. "Like what?"

Aria shrugged, staring into her drink rather than at him. "There are concerts in the park, outdoor movies, festivals… lots of things. In fact, next weekend there's a rib cook-off taking place."

"That might be reason enough for a ride back through town," Ezra replied smoothly.

Aria glanced back at him and smiled softly. He couldn't put his finger on what it was exactly… but there was something about her that was drawing him in, making him want to break through the bubble that had been his life for the past four years.

His food was set before him a moment later and Ezra reached for his napkin at the same time that Aria reached out for her drink. His hand brushed hers ever so slightly and the light electric shock that coursed through him was enough to widen his eyes in surprise. He swore that he heard Aria hitch her breath. Before he could properly respond to the situation, Aria was packing up her things and rising from her stool.

"It was nice to run into you again, Ezra," Aria told him. "Maybe I'll see you again sometime."

He watched with disdain as she hurried from the bar. Sighing, Ezra turned back to his dinner. Maybe he just wasn't cut out to handle women. As was slowly becoming the norm, he was left in absolute confusion.


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

" _The rose and the thorn… and sorrow and gladness… they are all linked together" – Saadi_

 _ **ARIA**_

Aria's day's passed much as they had for the past few years. She woke in the morning, brewed her cup of coffee as she got ready for the day, and then headed off for her bookstore. The monotony of the schedule came second nature to her. Aria enjoyed her simple timetable, she literally lived by it. When she woke, therefore, the day after returning Ava to the orphanage, she expected to go on as normal. The weight that held her back, however, was almost too heavy to ignore.

"Hey, Ar," Emily greeted when she stepped into the bookstore early that morning. "I've just started a pot of Columbia West Java. I'm debating starting a platter of croissants, though. What do you think?"

Aria shrugged, almost not caring for her friend's dilemma. Croissants? Coffee? There were more important things in life than baked goods and java. One such thing was the little girl that hadn't ceased to escape her mind this entire weekend.

Emily stopped with her preparations at Aria's noncommittal answer and studied her friend with a scrutinizing look.

Wiping her hands on a spare hand towel she plucked from the counter, Emily addressed her. "Hey, you ok?"

"I'm alright," Aria sighed. She dropped her purse to the counter and ran a hand through her hair, a nervous habit she'd had since she was a child. "I just have a lot on my mind."

"Okkk," Emily drew out, clearly not satisfied with Aria's response. One of the reason's Aria loved her, though, was because Emily wasn't one to pry. She was great at reading when someone didn't want to talk and she didn't force them to.

Aria shot her friend a small smile, appeasing any qualms Emily might have, and turned for her office. Sunday's were often very slow, they usually didn't even open the store. The summer, however, proved to be unpredictable. Aria thus tried to open whenever possible. A spare dollar made on a Sunday was one that could have been lost if they hadn't opened was her motto. Emily didn't disagree and thus, they both were stuck to enjoy this beautiful day from the confines of their store.

Lowering into her office chair, Aria reluctantly hit the power button to her computer. She loved technology as much as anyone from her generation, but it was nice to sometimes be 'off the grid.' She could use a day without the constant ping of her email box or buzz from her cell phone. It could all be a bit much.

Clicking on the icon that loaded her email, she waited a moment for the inbox to refresh. When it did, she casually scanned the list of messages until one caught her eye. Aria had been prone lately to ignoring or deleting anything that came from the Rosewood orphanage. Ava, though, still occupied most of her thoughts and thus she couldn't help but to click on the email. When the message loaded, Aria just about felt her heart stop.

"What?" she asked in breathy confusion. Her eyes flew across the screen, not seeming to comprehend what she was seeing.

"Hey, Ar," Emily asked, knocking lightly on the doorframe. "I have a stack of new shipments sitting behind the counter. Did you want me to-"

Emily stopped short at seeing Aria's face. She came into the room and lowered cautiously onto the small couch pressed against the wall opposite Aria's desk.

"Aria, what's going on?" Emily asked.

Aria felt the sweat pool between her fingers that clutched ferociously at the computer mouse.

"They're moving her," Aria whispered.

Emily looked at her with confusion. "Moving who?"

"Ava," Aria answered, not once tearing her eyes from the computer screen. "They're moving Ava. To a home in New York somewhere."

"Aria, I don't know who Ava is," Emily tried to explain slowly. She shook her head as if to clear the cobwebs and to gleam some sort of understanding.

Aria finally looked her way and Emily could see the tears brimming the surface of her eyes as she spoke. "Ava, Em! Ava is the child that I found here a couple of days ago. I took care of her for a night until the orphanage opened again the next morning. When I returned her they acted weird, saying that this was the last straw for Ava, that things would be changed for her. I didn't think they'd actually get rid of her!"

"Slow down," Emily tried to bargain. "Where is Ava going exactly?"

"I- I don't know, look!"

Aria spun her monitor around so Emily could read the email splayed across the screen.

"It says that the home is taking in new children and moving a few others. They're doing a fresh rotation of sorts," Emily explained as she read. When she reached the bottom of the message, she took a deep breath before meeting Aria's confused and horrified gaze. "Maybe this is a good thing, Ar. Maybe Ava will get adopted in New York. I think this ups her odds."

Aria sat bewildered. She was confused as to why she felt this way, why she cared so much about little Ava. Emily was probably right, Ava had a better chance at getting adopted with a fresh pool of parents. She couldn't wait around forever. Why was it hurting her so much to think about it, though?

"Maybe you're confused because of how strongly you already feel for that little girl," Emily said, answering Aria's unspoken thoughts. Aria brushed a stray tear away as she averted her gaze. "You've been avoiding that home like it was the plague ever since Mike left. Now, after one day back, it's all you can think about. I… I think you should consider getting involved again. Whether it's with Ava or another child, you don't necessarily have to adopt or anything… but fostering wouldn't be so bad, would it?"

The heavy silence that filled the room added to the seriousness of Emily's suggestion. Maybe Aria wasn't avoiding the place because she detested the system, perhaps she was just afraid of getting too involved. She had always felt that she wasn't enough for Mike, like she hadn't done enough to help properly raise him after her parents died. She'd loved the opportunity, though. There was something extraordinarily special about being solely responsible for another's life. Maybe Ava had been brought into her life for a reason she was too afraid to vocalize.

Standing slowly from her chair, Aria ran a hand through her hair trying to calm her nerves before making her decision. Swinging her jacket off the back of her chair, she snatched up her keys and purse and turned towards Emily.

"Lock the front door, Em," Aria told her without a trace of uncertainty. "We're not opening today. I need your help with something."

 _ **EZRA**_

Ezra numbly stacked the containers of bait neatly within the coolers lining the back wall of the shop. He was numbed to his everyday tasks and yearned to break free from the monotony. He let his hands do all the work while his mind wondered, thinking about his constant search for his child, about Rosewood… about Aria.

For so long now, Ezra hadn't been able to think about anything but his pursuit for Maggie and their child. He couldn't focus on anything but the need to find his blood. The shift in focus to include a woman he'd met for less than a total hour was bewildering.

"Thank you, come again," Ezra heard Wesley say to the couple he'd just rang out. Soon after, he listened to the sharp tinder of the bell above the door as the customers left and the soft padding of his brother's gait as he walked his way.

"Think we'll get any more customers tonight? Or is it safe to close up shop?" Wes asked, folding his arms across the top of the cooler and peering down at where Ezra sat tagging containers with prices. "I'm beat."

"Of course you are," Ezra muttered. He angrily pushed up from the floor and dropped the last of the bait into the cooler before turning for the front of the store. "Do what you want, Wes. If you're tired go home."

Wesley pushed off the cooler and followed after him. "What's your problem, Ezra? You've been short and ill-tempered with me for a while now. It's not cool, man."

"You're right," Ezra sighed, dropping onto the stool behind the counter. He lowered his head into his hands and breathed deeply. "I'm sorry. Everything is stressing me out right now and I'm taking it out on you, it's not fair."

Wes stood quiet, letting Ezra apologize. His brother was well versed in his tantrums, knowing when to let him cool off before interceding.

"Have you found anything yet?" he asked after a moment.

Ezra shook his head, leaning it back against the wall and staring out across the store without truly seeing anything. "Everywhere I go is a dead end. Then I come back here… it's just too much. Too much of the same old stuff. I'm- I'm thinking I need a change."

Wesley nodded in understanding. He picked up a pen and twirled it between his fingers as he leaned against the counter. "I get that. Sometimes you need a fresh start to start seeing again. That's how we ended up here, isn't it?"

Ezra nodded, finally letting a small smile cover his face. "Yes it is."

"What were you thinking about doing, though? What's a fresh start mean exactly?"

"I don't know, I've just been thinking I guess," Ezra shrugged. "I have an old college buddy an hour or so away that I could stay with. I don't want to leave you alone with this place, though."

Wes shook his head in amusement. "You think that I actually need you to keep this joint afloat? I've basically been running it for the past few years alone, Z. If you need time to clear your head, to get this quest out of your system… then I say go for it. You're doing no one any good when you're constantly lost in thought and off in lala land."

"I guess," Ezra agreed reluctantly. He'd only briefly thought about leaving, now it was seeming like a reality and Wesley was even giving him his blessings. "It'll only be for a short time, though, I promise."

Wes shook his head and pushed off from the counter. He sauntered up to the front door and flipped the open sign to show that they were now closed. He shot a smile back at his brother as he locked the door. "Hey, do what you have to do. I'll be fine."

 **Sorry for the long wait for the update to this story. I have an outline for where I want it to go but I started to diverge a bit so I had to clean it up and that took time. I hope everyone is still enjoying the story, though. Please leave reviews!**


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER NINE**

 _ **ARIA**_

"Just sign here… and here," Mrs. Pilmington directed, pointing towards various lines on the numerous pages in front of Aria.

Aria gripped her pen tightly, her free hand shaking atop the desk. Scrawling her signature across the last line almost unintelligibly, she flitted her eyes towards the caretaker whom was smiling warmly down at her.

"Is there- is there anything else?" Aria asked nervously.

Mrs. Pilmington, surely feeling Aria's uneasiness, reached across to gently touch her hand. "There's only one other thing."

Standing from her desk chair, the elderly woman walked to the door of the small room and opened it. The door made it only half way open before Ava was shooting through. Tears streamed down the little girl's face as she barreled straight into Aria, wrapping her tiny arms as tightly as she could around Aria's leg.

"Awia!" She cried happily. "You'ze came back fo' me!"

Aria nodded, tears filling her own eyes as she kneeled down to take the toddler into her shaky arms.

"I couldn't leave you, Ava," Aria whispered. "I- I'm sorry I took so long, though."

Mrs. Pilmington smiled widely from her perch next to the door. She'd witnessed many scenes like this during her years working at the orphanage and even though Aria was only fostering Ava, she suspected that it made no difference to the small child. Besides, she was hoping that the experience might make Aria decide to go through with the process fully not too far into the future.

After a lengthy amount of time with Aria hugging Ava tightly to her and Ava wiping her tear stained face against Aria's blouse, she finally pulled away.

"I- I brought you something," Aria offered nervously.

"Someting fo me?" Ava hiccupped, a light filling her eyes.

Aria nodded and turned to find her purse that she'd deposited on the desk before them earlier. Turning for a moment to rummage through its belongings, she found what she sought and turned back towards Ava.

"I want you to keep him," Aria said quietly, offering Ava her stuffed rabbit. "He brought me a lot of comfort as a child and I… I think he needs your comfort now more than anything. Will you take care of him?"

Ava nodded ferociously, her soft brown curls bouncing against the neck of her wrinkled sun dress. She reached for the toy and hugged him to her so tightly that Aria was afraid the plastic eyes might come off. Mrs. Pilmington chose that moment to clear her throat gently, making eye contact with Aria across the room. The message was clear, it was time that they be going.

Aria nodded towards her once and reached down for Ava's hand. The moment that the toddler reached for her hand in return, Aria knew that she'd done something right. This wasn't about to be easy but she was determined not to let Ava down.

 _ **EZRA**_

Climbing from his beat-up Volvo, Ezra hesitated a moment before reaching into the backseat for his suitcase. He started towards the front door of the fixer up home waiting before him. Overgrown hedges and an untamed lawn adorned the paved walkway. There couldn't be a sign to make it any more clear: this was the home of a bachelor.

Just as Ezra reached the front landing the door was thrown open, his old college roommate standing there with a large grin and his arms outstretched in welcome.

"Z!" He exclaimed. "You finally made it!"

Ezra smiled and passed his suitcase from his right hand to his left in order to extend the hand for a shake. Hardy, however, decided that was too impersonal and pulled Ezra in for a short, manly hug.

"How was the drive?" He asked, clapping him on the back as he pulled away.

Ezra shrugged. "It was alright. Wes called two or three times to assure me that everything was alright back East… it kinda did the opposite, however, you know?"

"Obviously you're still worrying about it, though," Hardy pointed out as he led him inside. "Let him handle things, Z. You need to take a break and I know just how to start that goal off."

Ezra lifted one eyebrow in question as he collapsed on the worn leather cushions of Hardy's couch. A spare spring pocked him somewhere in his lower back, causing him to shift over a few inches.

"There's a rib cook-off going on over in downtown Rosewood. It's about a ten minute drive from here. Interested in going?"

Ezra's stomach chose that moment to growl loudly and Hardy grinned in return.

"Well that answers my question. Come on, Z, there's a slab or two calling my name."

* * *

The smells of barbeque and fresh produce hit Ezra the moment he stepped from Hardy's car. There were children's rides alight with numerous flashing signs and stands brandishing lemonade and caramel apples. He couldn't help but to smile at the sight, it'd been a while since he'd attended any sort of town fair. Benton Harbor was much too small to host these sort of festivities.

"I propose a ten dollar bet that I can polish off more ribs than you can," Hardy threw at him as he walked. He wryly grinned at Ezra and pointed towards a stand brandishing a giant cartoon pig in overalls. "Let's start over there."

Ezra nodded his approval and followed his friend towards their designated starting point. He'd long ago learned that saying no to Hardy meant nothing, his friend knew how to make you do exactly what he wanted.

"Memphis Bar-B-Que, Kansas City Heat… there we go," Hardy said, a sly grin crawling onto his face. He pointed towards the top of the list showing the stand's sauces. "9-1-1. It. Is. On."

Ezra rolled his eyes and couldn't help but to mirror his friend's enthusiasm. He was sure they'd both pay for this later but he was too young to turn away from a good, hot braise. They slowly inched their way forward in line, following the crowd of people in front of them. Glancing around the venue, Ezra saw that almost every stand there was party to its own slay of people. There wasn't a slow grill on the whole lot.

"I'm going to find a restroom," Hardy piped up after a few minutes of trudging slowly forward. "Hold my place for me."

Ezra was about two people from the front of the line when a felt something knock into his leg. He glanced down into the warm brown eyes of a toddler no more than three or four years of age. Tears started to well in her eyes from the sudden impact and Ezra knelt instantly, drawing a napkin from his pocket and offering it to her.

"Hey, there. You're ok," Ezra soothed. The girl didn't respond, only pushed to her feet and glanced fervishly around her, obviously looking for someone. Ezra let his own eyes scan the perimeters. "Are you lost? Can I help you find your parents?"

"Ava! Please don't run!" A voice called out before Ezra could get an answer. He let out a sigh of relief. He didn't have too much experience with children and wasn't sure what to do in a situation such as this.

"I'm _so_ sorry," a woman started to apologize as she approached. She stopped short upon recognizing him. "Ezra?"

His eyes snapped towards the woman at the sound of his name. "Hey! What a surprise running into you again!"

Aria gave him a knowing look as she knelt to brush the dirt off of the child's clothes. "I mentioned this fair to you last week, remember? It's not that much of a coincidence." She shot him a small smile. "It is nice to see you again, though."

Ezra smiled back in return and shoved his hands into his pockets as he took in the situation. "Is this… your daughter?"

Aria seemed to hesitate for a moment, unsure how to answer and Ezra wondered if maybe he'd asked too personal of a question. They were practically strangers after all.

"This is Ava," Aria introduced, alleviating them from the awkward silence that had ensued. "I'm her foster parent."

Ezra stood there shocked. "Wow… that's incredible of you."

A blush filled Aria's cheeks at his adornment of her. "Thank you."

Their eyes locked for a moment and the same spark that Ezra had felt the first time they'd met instantly reignited. Aria reached for Ava's hand, drawing the girl to her side as she adjusted her weight from one foot to the other.

"Are you- are you in town for long?" Aria asked, almost unsurely.

Ezra nodded. "I've moved in with an old friend of mine. He lives about ten minutes outside of town by the lake."

An idea suddenly came to him and he swallowed the rock that suddenly lodged in his throat before continuing.

"If you're not doing anything… I mean if you're free sometime…" Aria giggled at his nervousness and Ezra took a deep breath before continuing. "It'd be nice to grab dinner or something with you sometime, I mean."

Aria stilled, unanswering. Ava began to pull at her pant leg, indicating that she was eager to move on. Shoving a stray hair behind one ear, Aria finally spoke up.

"I- I'm not sure that's a good idea right now. With Ava around now, I've… I've got a lot on my plate. Maybe after I've adjusted?" She glanced up at Ezra and he nodded with understanding, flashing her a small smile to avert her uncertainties. Aria reached down for Ava and hitched her up onto one hip. It wasn't too difficult seeing as how she was so small for her age. "Well, we better get going. This is a big day for Ava, getting out of the children's home and all. I thought we'd celebrate with a funnel cake. It was nice to see you again, Ezra."

"You too," he responded. He smiled down at Ava and waved as Aria started walking. "Bye, Ava!"

Ava watched him as they started to walk away but didn't respond. Just as they were about to disappear into the crowd, she raised a tiny hand and waved back.


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER TEN**

 _ **EZRA**_

' _Have you ever been in love, Peter?'_

' _Me?'_

' _Yes. Haven't you ever thought about it at all? It seems to me that you could make some girl wonderfully happy.'_

' _Sure, I've thought about it. Who hasn't? If I could ever meet the right sort of girl… Aw, where you gonna find her? Somebody that's real? Somebody that's alive? They don't come that way anymore. Have I ever thought about it? I've even been sucker enough to make plans. You know, I saw an island in the Pacific once. I've never been able to forget it. That's where I'd like to take her. She'd have to be the sort of a girl who'd… well, who'd jump in the surf with me and love it as much as I did. You know, nights when you and the moon and the water all become one. You feel you're part of something big and marvelous. That's the only place to live… where the stars are so close over your head you feel like you could reach up and stir them around. Certainly I've thought about it. Boy, if I could ever find a girl who was hungry for those things…'_

Just as Ezra was getting into one of his favorite movies of all time, the DVD was paused and the lights were flicked on.

"Well it's about that time," the professor called out as students began to gather their things. "We'll pick up from here on Monday. Remember, I want a five page discussion of effects of class systems and the Great Depression on societal relations for this film. Have a great weekend!"

Ezra heard a few students groan in detest but he was more than happy to write the paper. After all, he'd seen ' _It Happened One Night_ ' about thirty times so it was a fairly easy assignment for him. He was also just glad to be back in the classroom, dedicating himself to his studies once again. Moving to suburban Pennsylvania had allotted him time to start taking college courses again. He'd never finished his degree in English literature but he was determined to now. He was freelance writing for the local newspapers and taking out student loans to afford the education but he knew it'd be worth it.

Ezra was just zipping up his backpack and slinging it over one shoulder when he felt someone come up beside him.

"Hi there," a blond haired girl greeted him. She was very pretty and looked to be no older than twenty three or twenty four. Ezra smiled in return.

"Hey."

Nodding her heads toward the door, she indicated that they could walk and talk at the same time so Ezra followed her lead out of the classroom.

"I'm Hannah," she greeted, thrusting out her hand for Ezra to shake. "Did you transfer to Hollis? I've been with the program for four years now, due to graduate in May, and I've never seen you before. It's a fairly small program."

Ezra nodded. "I transferred from a small coast school out East. I really only need a few more classes to finish a degree in English Lit. How about you?"

"Creative writing," Hannah replied. "I love to write stories, read stories, watch stories… My friend even owns a bookstore in Rosewood. She got me hooked on the industry, actually. I worked at her store for a few years, saving up money for college, and now here I am. Anyways, I wanted to talk to you because you seem like you understand what's going on in Professor Herman's class. I've never really gotten into classic Hollywood sets and I was thinking maybe we could be study buddies. If you wanted to that is."

Ezra thought about it for a moment or two, staying silent as they walked. Partnering up was usually a fairly good way to stay atop any classwork, he knew that, so he eventually nodded in consent.

"Sure," he replied with a small smile. They eventually reached the parking lot where they'd split to find their own vehicles. "I'm Ezra by the way. See you Monday? We can exchange information then."

"Thanks, Ezra!" Hannah replied with a grin. She waved once at him and headed across the parking lot for her car. Ezra, happy that he'd made one friend at least, turned to find his own ride.

* * *

There was an aroma of pastries, freshly brewed coffee, and printed novels that enveloped him from the moment that Ezra walked through the tiny downtown bookstore's door. He'd been driving back towards Harvey's when he noticed the bookstore in Rosewood that Hannah had mentioned. He loved little shops such as those so he decided to pull over and check it out.

So far, he wasn't disappointed with what he'd found. The place was brimming to capacity with books. There were shelves everywhere, with a stacks of novels lining window seals and table tops. He smiled at the sight.

"Welcome! Can I help you?" A voice called out from behind the counter at the back of the shop.

"I'm not sure. I- Aria?"

Aria popped her head up from where she'd been counting through the inventory in the crates behind the counter. She smiled upon seeing Ezra and leaned back against the back rest of the high top chair she sat on, crossing her arms over her chest as she took him in.

"Are you stalking me or something?" She asked with a small giggle.

Ezra shrugged and leaned one hip against the counter as he smiled back at her. "Could be… I actually didn't know that you worked here though."

"I actually own the shop," Aria corrected.

Ezra threw his hands up in mock defense. "My apologies, then. I'm impressed," He said, tearing his eyes from her to look around at the bookstore. "I don't think I've come across a bookstore as well stocked as yours in ages. You look like you're doing fairly well for yourself."

"I do ok," Aria replied, a small blush forming in her cheeks. "My grandfather actually owned this store and I took over when I was only twenty or so, after he'd passed away."

"I'm very sorry to hear that," Ezra told her quietly. His eyes locked on her face and he couldn't help but to once again be stunned by her beauty. Aria's beauty was a subtle one. Sure, she was radiant and extremely attractive at first sight, but there was something else about her, something deeper, that really pulled at Ezra. He wanted to find out what that was.

Standing from her stool, Aria pushed a few stray hairs behind one ear as she regarded him.

"Where you looking for anything in particular that I could help you with?"

Ezra shrugged. "Not really. Is there anything that you'd recommend? I'm always looking for a good read."

Aria made her way around the counter and headed towards one of the shelves at the far end of the shop. She ignored the display cases up front that brandished the newest novels, ones that were most likely filled with love triangles and other garbage that Ezra had no interest in. For that, he was grateful.

Stopping at the last shelf against the wall, Aria knelt and ran her finger along the spines of the books in front of her. She searched a moment or two for a specific book before finding what she was looking for and pulling it from the shelf. Straightening again, she handed the novel to him. Her fingers brushed his during the exchange and he felt her quickly pull them away at the spark that flew between them.

"This is one of my favorites. I don't know if you've read it or not…"

Ezra grinned, shaking his head as he took in the dusty cover. " _'To Kill A Mockingbird.'_ I haven't read this book in ages. Thank you."

Aria nodded. "Most people have skimmed it, probably forced to by a high school teacher or parent. Some even claim to have read it when it reality they've only watched the movie. The novel, though… it's, in my opinion, one of the greatest stories ever written."

Ezra smiled as he listened to Aria talk about the book. It was extremely obvious how much she cared for the subject she was endorsing. Aria obviously loved her job and all of the novels that she got to submerge herself in each and every day. Ezra could only hope to be as lucky as she was in finding a career one day that he loved just as much.

"Maybe we could grab a coffee and discuss the novel? After I've reread it, of course," Ezra offered with a small smile. His heart rhythm picked up speed as he nervously waited for Aria's answer. She'd already turned him down once…

Aria nervously played with the hem of her shirt, catching her bottom lip between her teeth as she thought of how to respond. Ezra decided to keep going, to not give her time to reject him again.

"In fact, you could bring Ava along," Ezra continued hurriedly. "Maybe we could have a cookout on the lake. I'm staying with my best friend and he has a killer new grill that he's been dying to use for weeks now. You'd actually be doing him a favor."

"Is that right?" Aria laughed.

Ezra nodded, his smile growing even larger. "We'll cook whatever you like. Come on, it'll be fun!"

"Even a veggie burger?"

"Well maybe not that…" Ezra replied, feigning a look of disgust. He then grinned back at her before pulling his wallet from his back pocket and handing her one of his old business cards. "I'm sure I can find something that you'll eat. Why don't you call me when you're free? I'd really love to host you and Ava and you'll love my best friend, Hardy, I promise."

Aria was almost nervous as she glanced down at the card and back towards him. Ezra prayed for her to agree, to at least give him a chance. After a lengthy moment of heart wrenching silence, Aria finally nodded her head.

"Awesome," Ezra replied with a large sigh. "It's a date."


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

 _ **EZRA**_

"You know, I think it's kind of ironic that you're the one that wanted to throw this shindig yet here _I_ am making all the food and cleaning this place up," Hardy griped as he mixed his newly cooked pasta with the various vegetables he'd chopped. "Here taste this."

Ezra smirked as he took a forkful of the pasta salad and flashed his friend a thumbs up. "Delicioso!" he exclaimed with a fake Italian accent.

Hardy rolled his eyes but smiled in return, obviously happy for his friend's approval of his cooking.

"Anyway, I told you I'd help with the food, Hardy," Ezra defended. "Once everyone gets here, I'll be the grill master, don't worry. And this place needed a sprucing up, that was your department, not mine."

"Yeah, yeah," Hardy muttered under his breath. "This girl of yours better be worth it. It took me ages to make this place presentable."

Ezra felt the heat rise to his face at the mention of 'his girl.' Aria was far from being his, he knew that, but it was still a nice thought to entertain. He was surprised when no more than three days had passed after running into her at the bookstore when Aria had texted him wanting to accept his lunch proposal. Hardy, unknowingly, had been roped in, whether he wanted to or not. When Hardy moved to make his way out onto the back patio, Ezra grabbed a few table settings and followed after him.

"You'll love her," Ezra continued. "She's- well she's amazing. And her little girl, Ava, is probably the cutest baby girl I've ever laid my eyes on."

"Uh huh," Hardy agreed mockingly. "Girls and babies, next thing you know you'll be hitched with another on the way. This is how it starts, this is how they get their claws in you. I'm telling you that none of this is worth it. Not for me at least, I'll enjoy my freedom, prime ribs and brewskies, thank you v _ery_ much."

"I'm afraid you've been meeting all the wrong types of women, Hardy, if that's truly your opinion of us," a voice rang out from behind them.

Ezra pivoted on the spot at the female voice and was greeted by a couple that appeared to be about the same age as Hardy and himself. The woman was dressed chicly, a denim button up shirt casually dressed down with a plaid scarf and white linen pants. Her boyfriend sported a similar informal apparel with a pair of aviators being the flashiest article of clothing on him. They came to a stop next to where Ezra had started to prepare the grill and the woman thrust out a hand, offering him a small smile.

"You must be Ezra, I've heard so many good things."

"They're mostly lies, then," Ezra chuckled. "Hardy's been known to stretch the truth."

Hardy came over and knocked his shoulder once with his own before enveloping the female in a bear hug.

"Hey there, Spenc. Glad you guys could come out." Turning toward Ezra, Hardy continued with his introductions. "Z, these are a few friends of mine, Spencer and Toby. They own a summer house across the lake from me, we've ran into each other a few times at the local bars and haven't gotten sick of one another yet."

"Give it time," Toby joked. Glancing around, he turned to Hardy with one eyebrow risen. "Got any beers around this joint or is this a dry party?"

Hardy pointed towards the cooler on the far side of the deck that he'd newly stocked. "Over there, help yourself."

Ezra turned back towards the grill, picking up a briar pad to scrub loose a few coal embers, when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He eagerly pulled it free, hoping that the message was from Aria. He wasn't disappointed.

' _Just pulled in. Ava's acting a tad shy, be in in a few minutes.'_

Ezra smiled at her text and put down his own beer to make his way out front. Hardy, now deeply engaged in some bravado story Toby was sharing, didn't even notice him leave.

Rounding the front of the house, Ezra instantly picked out Aria's bright silver Honda. She'd shut off the engine and was making her way from the driver's seat when she spotted him. She gave him a half smile and small wave as she shut the door.

"Hey," Aria greeted. Jutting her head towards the back seat where Ava sat. "I, um, I'm having a bit of difficult with Ava. Please forgive her, though, she's probably never been to a party such as this before."

Ezra nodded in understanding as he came up to the car. Grinning down at her, he had to stop himself from pulling her into a welcoming embrace. They weren't _that_ familiar with one another yet.

"I'm happy you were able to come out. Mind if I try talking with Ava?"

Aria shrugged. "Sure, go for it."

Ezra nodded once and rounded the car to where Ava sat in the back passenger's seat, firmly strapped in to her car seat. When Ezra opened the door, he watched as she physically shrunk away from him and sucked violently at her left thumb. Her eyes flashed once towards him but then fixated on the tiny stuffed animal in her arms.

"Hi, Ava," Ezra greeted softly. "I'm Ezra, remember me?"

Ava didn't answer right away but then nodded timidly.

"Well, we're having lots of fun out here. We're cooking hotdogs and hamburgers and I heard later…" Ezra trailed off and looked around swiftly, as if he was to share a secret with her. "My friend, Hardy, promised that later we might just take the paddle boats out. Would you like to try that?"

Ava thought it over for a moment and just when Ezra had thought that his attempts at bribery were all but lost, she spoke up quietly. "Is dere ducks?"

Ezra smiled. "There might just be some ducks. If you'd like to join us out here, I might be able to find you some bread to feed them, as well."

Ava's eyes lit up at that thought and she nodded forcefully, pulling at her straps to get free from the car seat. Ezra reached in and helped her, lifting the toddler into his arms and setting her on the ground once outside of the vehicle. She instantly latched onto Aria's hand and resumed sucking on her thumb.

"Thank you," Aria mouthed silently towards him as they started around the home. Ezra nodded back, entirely determined to make this one of the best afternoons either of them had ever experienced.

 _ **ARIA**_

"Your daughter is just adorable," Spencer cooed to Aria as Ava chased after the ducks that Ezra had promised might make an appearance. She ran as fast as her toddler legs could carry her towards the animals and let out a cry of disappointment as the creatures flocked away from her. "How old is she?"

"Three," Aria answered politely. "Her birthday is in October, though, so she'll be four in a few short months."

Spencer nodded as she listened. "You're so lucky to have a child as well behaved as that. My sister just had a kid a few years ago and I swear that she is the spawn of the devil. My sister, of course, would be said devil."

Aria laughed at Spencer's exuberant story. "She can't be that bad."

"Oh, she is," Spencer disagreed. "Just last week, while _I'm_ babysitting her of course, this child decides to leave her bed during nap time and find a couple of permanent markers to draw some 'art' on the freshly painted walls of my new loft."

"She didn't," Aria gasped.

Spencer nodded. "Yup," she popped. "Drew me and Toby and her dog Daisy. And the best part? She screams how much she hates me and her uncle and everyone and everything when I punish her for what she did. Let's just say that I was more than happy to send that child home."

Aria giggled and finished the remainder of her drink, wiping her mouth against her sleeve. She watched as Ezra padded towards Ava who'd made her way to the water's edge. He garnished a few pieces of bread in his hands and handed her a slice, showing her how to rip off tiny pieces to throw towards the ducks that had flown into the water. Ava had been running around, playing nicely with Ezra almost all afternoon and Aria was pleasantly surprised. She hadn't taken to anyone yet, often becoming extremely shy and cutoff, but with Ezra… she'd taken to him as naturally as one would to a best friend.

"Ava is a special little girl. I am lucky to have her," Aria agreed.

"I'm going to get another. Want one?" Spencer asked as she rose from her seat and pointed towards Aria's now empty glass.

Aria shook her head. "No, thank you though."

Spencer nodded and headed off to find a drink and her husband. Aria watched her go before rising and making her way towards Ezra and Ava.

"Hey, there," she greeted. She giggled as she watched Ava attempt to throw a piece of bread but only succeeding at flinging it two or three feet away from her, in the opposite direction of the lake.

"Momma, watch me tow da bead!" Ava giggled. Aria's heart leaped at her new name. Ava had taken to calling her that after hearing more than one person refer to Aria as her mother. Aria certainly didn't mind.

Aria watched as Ava again attempted to throw the bread, this time successfully getting it into the lake but only about a foot or so away. Ezra laughed and handed her the last piece.

"Come on, Ava Bear. You can get it further than that."

Ava decided, instead, to spin in a circle for momentum and instantly lost her balance, flinging the bread straight up into the air where it caught in a bush a few feet away. She looked up at Ezra, tears threatening to spill down her face and Ezra instantly knelt, brushing the dirt away from her pretty dress.

"Hey, hey. No crying. I'll bet Hardy has a few more slices of bread. You wanna go see?" Ezra asked kindly.

Ava nodded, brushing her hands across her cheeks roughly before pushing from the grass and racing as fast as her little legs would carry her towards the house. Aria smiled as she watched her go, wishing not, for the first time, for the carefree life of a toddler.

"You're really great with her," Aria complimented Ezra once Ava had disappeared inside. "She adores you."

"She's an easy child to get along with," Ezra admonished. He flicked his hand towards Aria's hair and pulled away a stray twig that had gotten snagged there. "Her mom's not too bad either."

Aria blushed, folding her arms across her chest as she stared out across the lake. "How would you know? It seems to me that you've spent almost all afternoon playing with Ava, I've barely talked with you." Aria chided jovially.

Ezra smiled and edged closer to her, forcing Aria to back up until her back pressed against a tree hugging the shore line. He leaned a hand against the trunk next to her head and pressed closer.

"We could change that," he said softly. "I didn't know what to say to you, though, seeing as how I've yet to finish that book you lent me."

Aria giggled and leaned back slightly to stare up at him. Her heart was pounding in her chest at their close proximity and she could easily smell the after shave that he used mixed together with a scent that was pure… man. Her palms turned clammy at the intimacy.

The moment seemed to linger on and the pent up emotion between them rifled through the air. Ezra, almost as if drawn by the magnetic current between them, felt himself pulled towards her. When there was barely any space left between them and Aria was certain he was going to kiss her at any second, the moment was suddenly broken by the loud clap of the screen door. Ava barreled out from the house, fresh bread in her hands.

Ezra pulled away nervously, running a hand through his dark locks.

"Eza! I gets more bead, come on we'ze gots ta feed da ducks!"

Smiling at her sheepishly, Ezra turned towards Ava and headed back for the shore.


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

 _ **ARIA**_

Running through her month end inventory, Aria scanned one book cover after the other and scribbled down a sleigh of numbers. She'd just finished logging her stash of Gone With the Wind when Ava came running up behind the counter, brandishing a crayon drawing.

"Momma looks at whats I dwa!" Ava cheered happily with her toddler lisp. "Itz you, me an' Eza!"

Aria smiled as she took in the picture. She was sure that Ava had drawn the three of them exactly as she saw them in her mind but all Aria saw was a bunch of scribbles. There was one blob that might pass for a duck, but she wasn't sure. She smiled sweetly at the little girl and nudged her back towards the children's area.

"Why don't you draw another picture, Baby," Aria encouraged, flipping the page in her ledger. She was desperate to finish this inventory today. "Draw me another picture, maybe include your Aunt Emily in this one."

Emily cheered her agreement from where she was balancing the check books. She made eye contact with Aria across the room and Aria couldn't help but to feel somewhat judged. She'd been struggling lately with balancing her work and personal life. Ava was a big commitment and Aria was learning that she couldn't dedicate every waking moment to the shop as she'd been accustomed to doing. As such, she was far more behind in her daily duties than she'd ever been.

Emily started towards her after a moment or two, sidestepping the pyramid of dolls that Ava had stacked in the middle of children's section. She reached down and patted Ava's curls as she passed but never wavered from her beeline for Aria.

"How are the books looking?" Emily asked, setting a pile of outdated magazines on the countertop. "The periodicals are cleaned up, by the way."

Aria shrugged as she scratched down another number. "So far, so good. Listen, Emily, I'm sorry for being so behind. It's just that I've got-"

"Ava," Emily broke in, staring knowingly at her. She smiled warmly and crossed her arms across her chest before continuing. "Things are different now, aren't they?"

Aria smiled back fondly. "I guess they are."

Emily thought for a moment, straightening up against the counter. Before she could voice her inner dwellings, however, a crash from behind the duo broke them both free from their conversation. Aria flicked her eyes worriedly towards Ava. Where the child had once been encompassed by a pile of dolls, legos and stacks of drawings, they saw a scatter of toys and crayons. Ava stared back at them with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Ava, Sweety, are you ok?" Aria asked with worry. She instantly dropped her notepad to the countertop and rushed towards the little girl.

Ava nodded in response, reaching for Aria and allowing her to pull her up into her arms. Wiping the tears from her face, Ava looked up at Aria with a quiver to her lip.

"I'ze sowy," she whispered. "I makes a mess."

Aria hugged the girl to her and cooed softly, attempting to ease her worries. After a few minutes of this, Aria pulled back and smiled down kindly at Ava.

"Are you sure that you're ok?" Ava nodded in assurance so Aria continued. "Why don't you clean this up and we'll go get some ice cream?"

Ava's eyes lit up and she nodded brightly. Pushing down from Aria's arms, she eagerly started to straighten the area out. Aria laughed at Ava's enthusiasm for a moment before turning back towards Emily. She gathered up the book she'd been using for inventory and pushed her papers into a pile. Emily let out a sigh, one that was meant to capture Aria's attention, so she turned reluctantly towards her friend.

"As much as I love Ava, Aria, we still have to keep this place afloat," Emily offered quietly, not wanting Ava to overhear them.

Aria nodded with understanding. "I know, Em. Again, I'm sorry for being so busy lately but I'm trying. I really am."

Emily reached out to grasp her friend's hand gently, stopping Aria's movements. "I get it but we've got to readjust our priorities here, Ar. I… I hear that Mrs. Warne runs a fabulous daycare on the other side of town…"

Aria stopped what she was doing and stared at Emily. "You want me to abandon Ava when she's just getting used to her new life?"

Emily shook her head fervently. "No, that's not what I'm saying at all Aria. I just-"

"I get it," Aria snapped, cutting Emily off. "Listen, I've got to get going. We'll finish this tomorrow, when I'm less distracted."

Not giving her friend an opportunity to respond, Aria gathered Ava and her things and headed for the door.

 _ **EZRA**_

Shaking his head with comical disbelief, Ezra leaned back in his chair and took in what Hannah had scribbled down in response to the essay question they'd been assigned as homework.

"You're getting it!" He proclaimed proudly. "Maybe my help is actually, oh I don't know, _helping_."

Hannah smiled in triumph. "Or maybe I'm finally paying attention," she joked.

Ezra nodded with a smile before pushing to his feet. He gathered his books and papers into his bag and shot Hannah a small smile as he moved.

"Same time, same place next Thursday?" he asked, fishing his keys from his bag.

Hannah nodded in agreement. She slid her finger across the screen of her phone, unlocking it to answer one of the thousands of text messages she seemed to get each minute. She didn't even glance his way when he bid her farewell, only rose one hand in acknowledgement and went back to her texting. Ezra rolled his eyes and headed for his car.

The drive from Hollis to Harvey's place went right through downtown Rosewood. As such, he was offered the opportunity every Tuesday and Thursday to pass directly in front of Aria's bookstore. Since his almost kiss with her and the intimate afternoon he'd shared with both her and Ava, he'd been too nervous to stop. That didn't stop him from slowing down and staring longingly at the shop, however.

Today, just as he was crossing through the last red light before the town square, he caught sight of Aria and Ava headed out of the bookstore and across the town center. He made a quick decision and pulled his car over and next to an empty parking meter. He threw a couple of quarters into the meter and headed across the street to intercept the pair.

"Aria!" He yelled out, jogging through the pedestrian crossing. Aria turned at the sound of her name, confusion covering her face before she spotted him. She offered a half wave and timid smile as she pulled Ava to a stop in order for him to catch up.

"Hi," she greeted quietly. Ezra could sense the nervousness that laced her voice and smiled slightly. At least he wasn't alone in feeling the awkward tension between them.

"We're headed for ice cream," Aria offered after a minute. "Would you… like to join us?"

Ezra nodded shocked. "Sure," he answered with a smile. Ava, reached eagerly for his hand and pulled him along towards the ice cream parlor only a block away.

"I'ze gonna get stawbewy, Eza!"

"Not chocolate?" Ezra asked with a chuckle.

Ava shook her head, sending her curls bouncing every which way. Ezra laughed again at the sight but kept quiet and followed along.

Reaching the parlor, he held open the door for the girls and then waited patiently to place his order last once they'd reached the counter. Aria reached for her purse to pay but Ezra beat her to it, fishing his wallet from his back pocket and throwing a few bills on the counter.

"Thank you," Aria smiled. "You didn't have to pay. We invited you, after all."

Ezra shrugged, gathering up their small ice cream dishes from the counter and following the girls towards an empty table. Ava took a whole three bites from her treat before shooting from her chair and running for the plush toys stacked on the other side of the room. Ezra chuckled as he watched her go.

"How have you been?" He asked Aria after a moment.

Aria glanced up at him, plopping a dollop of sweet sugared ice cream in her mouth before responding. "Ok, just busy."

Ezra frowned. He could sense that something was bothering her, something she wasn't letting on about. "Busy?"

Aria sighed and glanced towards Ava. "I've got a lot going on now. My friend doesn't think that I'm juggling things too well and asked that I look into some help."

Ezra sat silently, unsure of what she was referring to when it clicked. "There's no harm in seeking help, Aria."

"I know," She responded quietly. "I just don't want Ava to feel like I'm pushing her off onto someone else."

"You wouldn't be," he told her. He reached forward, lying his hand gently atop hers and ran his thumb over her knuckles. "Every parent, at one time or another, asks for some help."

"I guess you're right," Aria sighed. "I'll probably go down and look at daycares tomorrow."

Ezra sat silently, letting Aria get accustomed to the revelation that she'd just had. He understood that this was a big moment for her and he didn't want to take anything away from it.

"You know, I've been thinking," Aria started after a few moments. She flicked her gaze up towards his and didn't look away. He could sense her unease. "I, um…. Well, how would you like to come over for dinner sometime?"

Ezra smiled widely, pulling his hand away to scoop another bit of ice cream into his mouth. "I thought you weren't looking to date or anything right now?"

A blush filled Aria's cheeks. "I didn't say anything about a date," she teased. "Maybe I was asking because I need some help repainting Ava's room. You did just give me some advice on accepting some help every now and then…"

"Well, I'd be more than happy to help you, ma'am," Ezra drawled with a smile. He reached forward again, this time to wipe a swad of ice cream from Aria's cheek. Her blush deepened at the action.

"How does next Friday sound?" she asked timidly, unsure of his answer.

Ezra pretended to think about it for a moment before leaning back and crossing one leg over another. "It's a date."


	13. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

 _ **ARIA**_

"Ava, Sweetheart, did you clean up your dolls?" Aria asked, walking into Ava's room.

Ava pouted at her from where she sat between stacks of toys, including the aforementioned Barbies that had yet to be put away. Aria sighed and kneeled to start collecting the figures. Ava was a handful, she made sure of that. Aria, however, was unable to do anything but love her. She'd spoiled the girl rotten with toys and clothes and she had yet to put a firm foot down when it came to setting rules. She knew these things would come back to bite her but for now… they were content.

"My dowies don't like da dark, Mommy," Ava whined as Aria made to put the toys in her toy chest. Ava rushed over to take the dolls from her and then placed them gently on her nightstand. "Dey like it out here wit me."

Aria giggled and reached down to smooth Ava's curls. "Is that right? Well they can stay out here, but only if they're put up nicely," she explained. "It's nice to have toys, Ava, but we need to learn to put our things away. Ok?"

Ava nodded enthusiastically, obviously excited that her dolls could stay out. Aria made to straighten her bed then when the doorbell rang out. She glanced up confused, she wasn't expecting anyone. Ava, looking at her expectantly, stuck her thumb into her mouth and sucked nervously. Aria had learned that thumb sucking was one of Ava's bad habits. She was determined to break her of it but she'd let it slip for now. Directing the child to stay in her room, Aria headed down the stairs just as the doorbell rang out for a second time.

"I'm coming," she grumbled under her breath. Reaching the door, she turned the knob quickly, ready to tell off whomever was abusing her door bell, but her voice caught in her throat. "Mi- Mike?"

"Hey there, Sis," her younger brother greeted, a crooked grin covering his face. He opened his arms wide for a hug and when she didn't move, too shocked by his appearance, he pulled her to him and enveloped Aria in a way that only her baby brother could do.

Aria let the embrace hang for a moment or two before pulling back. "What are you doing here?" She asked, dumbfounded. She loved her brother, she really did, but he usually only showed up for holidays and favors, neither of which she was looking forward to.

Mike shrugged and reached down for a takeout bag he'd abandoned on the porch. "It's been a while, Ar. And I heard some news about a little girl?"

Aria nodded, a large grin coming to grace her face as she let Mike into the house. Leading him to the kitchen, she took the food from her brother and set it on the counter. This was unusual. Mike had a tendency to show up but he always let her know he was coming. She was nervous, to say the least. She knew she'd have to explain the situation to Mike sooner or later and it looked like it was going to be now.

"Listen, Mike," Aria started, running a hand through her once finely combed hair. "I-"

"You don't have to explain anything to me, Ar," Mike stopped her. He rounded the corner of the kitchen island and took his sister's hands in his own, eager to express his understanding. "You will be a _great_ mother. I should know. I just felt that I needed to meet my niece as soon as possible, can't let you smear my good name before I prove everything you say true."

Mike flashed her one of his crooked grins as Aria felt the tears well in her eyes. She had a thousand reasons why taking care of Ava was a bad idea: she was young, she was inexperienced, she wasn't married. The list could go on for miles. With one smile, though, and a few words of encouragement, her brother had made her suddenly feel like she was the most abled person for the job.

"Thank you," she choked out between her tears. She threw herself at Mike and enveloped him in the strongest hug she could muster.

Mike seemed to hold on to Aria as tightly as she was holding on to him. She knew that this was a big step for the both of them. When their parents had passed, Mike wasn't young enough to be completely dependent on her but he wasn't old enough to live on his own either. As a result, Aria had gotten stuck in both the parent and sibling role. Adopting Ava and giving his blessing to her, Mike was essentially showing her that he'd grown up and that it was ok for her to do the same.

Mike eventually pulled away, shooting Aria another crooked smile before heading for the fridge and pulling out a beer. Aria almost stopped him when she remembered that he was, in fact, old enough to drink. That realization suddenly made her feel old.

She'd just started to unpack the food that Mike had brought when movement near the doorway caught both of their attentions. Aria looked up to see Ava, thumb stuck feverishly in her mouth, dragging her tattered stuffed rabbit behind her. She looked up curiously at Mike and half hid herself behind the door jamb without saying anything.

"Why hello there," Mike greeted her sweetly. He set his beer on the counter and headed towards Ava slowly, very much aware of her radiating nervousness. As expected, Ava shied back a few inches. Coming to within a foot or two, Mike knelt to one knee and extended a hand to the toddler. "My name is Mike. What might yours be, pretty girl?"

Ava stared at him, eyes wide and body tense with anxiety. Aria was afraid that Ava wouldn't answer when without warning, she pulled her thumb from her mouth with a loud plop and placed it wetly in Mike's.

"I'ze Ava," she told him. "And dis iz Cotinbaw."

She thrust the stuffed toy towards Mike, a smile coming to cover her face, and watched with pleasure as Mike reached forward to shake the rabbit's paw in greeting as well.

"Hello, old friend, it's been a while," Mike greeted her animal. He smiled cheesily at Ava and clapped his hands together. "I've heard that you like sweets. Is that true?"

Ava nodded vigorously.

"Good," Mike responded, his smile broadening even more. He glanced back towards Aria and the sneaky look gleaming from his eyes told her that he was up to no good. Turning back towards Ava, he crooked one finger at her, enticing her to come closer so that he could whisper in her ear. The toddler inched forward until she was able to lift her ear only a few inches from Mike's face. Aria watched as Ava's eyes widened with pleasure at whatever Mike was telling her and then she took off towards the front hall closet.

Raising one eyebrow, Aria regarded her brother curiously.

"You know, Ava's been extremely shy around new people since I've had her. She loves you, though, and…" Aria trailed off, not sure that now would be an appropriate time to bring up Ezra.

"And who?" Mike asked, not letting her off the hook. He rose to his feet and padded back towards the counter for his beer.

"Just a friend of mine," Aria asked, turning back towards the food he brought. "Anyway, what is Ava doing? What did you say to her just now?"

Mike shrugged and smiled mischievously. "I might have brought some supplies for… s'mores. You've still got that fire pit out back right?"

Aria nodded. Draining his beer, Mike tossed the bottle into the recycling and turned in time to see Ava come back into the kitchen with her boots dragging on the floor behind her.

"Perfect. Come on, Ave's. Let's go gather some firewood."

 _ **Sorry for the long delay in updating. I'm bogged down with work right now and finding it hard to find time to write. I will continue to do my best, though. Please review so that I know this story is still being followed. Thanks much!**_


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

 _ **ARIA**_

"Don't forget your laundry!" Aria yelled over her shoulder as she stacked groceries into Mike's car.

"Yes, _Mom_ ," Mike quipped sarcastically. He came around the other side of the vehicle, arms straining with the mountain of clothes heaped in the laundry basket he carried. He miraculously opened the passenger door and threw the basket down.

"Thank you for spending the weekend with us," Aria told him as she came around to his side of the car. "It meant a lot to me that you finally met Ava and that you two get along so well. She's… she's a wonderful little girl."

Mike nodded in agreement before pulling his sister in for a tight hug. "I'll come back more often," he said into her hair. Pulling away, he smiled crookedly down at her. "I can't let Ava grow up without her Uncle Mike, now can I?"

Aria giggled and pushed away from him. "Absolutely not."

Mike dug through his pockets for his keys and after twirling them around one finger for a moment, he leaned down, pressed a sloppy kiss to Aria's cheek and headed around the car for the driver's side.

"I'll call you once I've made it back to my place," Mike told her, pulling his sunglasses from his head to cover his eyes as he climbed in. "Might be kinda late but-"

"I'll be up," Aria interrupted. Waving once, she watched with heartfelt reluctance as Mike started the engine and backed down the drive. He honked the horn twice before pulling away. Watching her brother go always hurt and Aria was never prepared for it. She wanted him to always be around but she knew that this part, of him leaving for school and becoming a man, that _this_ was what becoming and adult finally felt like. She loved Mike dearly but she had to let him do his own thing, to forge his own path, in order to become the man she knew he was destined to be. Turning back for the house, Aria made it a few steps when her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it free and smiled when she saw that she'd received a text from Ezra.

' _Care if I swing by tonight to help with that paint job you enlisted me for?'_

Aria thought a moment. She'd been ignoring him all weekend, too intent on enjoying the rare time she'd had with her brother and Ava. Now she felt guilty.

' _Only if you bring pizza…'_ she quickly replied.

Not a moment later, her phone dinged, indicating a received text.

' _It'd be my pleasure. Be there in 30.'_

Aria felt a large smile take over her face and she quickly pushed the phone into her pants pocket. Turning back towards the house, she couldn't help but think that for once, she was truly excited to spend some quality time with someone that she not only adored, but that her daughter did too.

* * *

When the doorbell rang almost exactly 30 minutes later, Aria was in the middle of furiously stuffing Ava's things into plastic storage containers. The little girl had only been living with her for a short time now but Aria had a problem with shopping and she had come to realize that the problem multiplied itself when it came to children's things.

"Mama da dawr iz inging," Ava chirped from the floor. Instead of helping, as Aria had asked, Ava decided she'd rather redress all of her Barbie's. Aria sighed in frustration.

"Ok, ok," Aria called out as the door bell rang again. "Ava, sweetheart, stay put. That's probably Ezra."

At the mention of Ezra, Ava's eyes lit up and she hurriedly pushed to her feet.

"Ava, stay here," Aria asked, backing out of the room. Ava tentatively took a step forward, almost as if pushing her boundaries but Aria closed off any attempts at a jail break by quickly closing the doors and jogging down the steps.

Ezra shot her a crooked smile when she opened the door to him a short moment later. "Hey, there," he said. Looking behind her, he asked, "Where's Ava?"

"Upstairs," Aria responded, taking the still hot pizza box from his hands. "We've, correction _I've_ , been cleaning her room all weekend so that we can paint. I'll admit, though, that it's not the greatest cleaning job."

Ezra chuckled as he followed her inside. He wore a worn t-shirt and jeans, an outfit perfect for the job at hand. Aria, however, was in a sequin top and skirt, causing Ezra to raise his eyebrows in question.

"I know," Aria giggled as she looked down at herself. "You didn't give me much time, though. It was either change clothes or finish cleaning. I chose the latter. I could change, though, if you wouldn't mind…"

Aria trailed off, unsure if it was fair to ask him to watch Ava for her. Ezra jumped in, cutting her off.

"Show me to the warden's chambers, Ma'am," he drawled. "Little tike ain't gonna get nuthin' past me."

Aria laughed at his horrible western accent at turned to allow him to follow her up the stairs. Stopping just outside of Ava's door, she turned to face him again.

"I'll only be a minute or two, I promise," she said quickly. Ezra waved her off and pushed open the door to the room.

* * *

When Aria returned ten short minutes later, she felt her breath hitch in her chest at the sight in front of her. Ezra had managed, miraculously to finish boxing all of Ava's things and sat in the middle of the room showing the little girl how to swirl the paint in the paint can. He looked up at Aria's entrance and flashed her a smile.

"I hope you don't mind, I found an old t-shirt in a box in the hallway and threw it on her to protect her clothing," he offered in explanation to Ava's new dress.

"Wook mama!" Ava cried happily. "Ize is helpin paint!"

Aria chuckled and leaned down to press a short kiss to Ava's curls. "Yes you are, baby. Now, are you ready to put some of that paint on the walls?"

Ava nodded furiously and quickly moved to lift the paint paddle from the can so that the paint upon it could be applied to the walls. Ezra was quick to intercept, however, and snatched up the ladle before a drop touched the floor. The effort didn't go unpunished, though, as paint flung from the can and landed across his previously pristine shirt. Aria gasped.

"Dat iz it, little cowgirl," Ezra chided playfully. "Now you have to help paint this whole room!"

Ava laughed as Ezra scooped both her and a paint brush full of paint up into his arms and marched them to the nearest wall. Tenderly, he showed her how to brush the paint onto the plaster, moving the brush slowly up and down to thoroughly cover a good portion of the exposed wall. Aria, again, felt her heart skip at the sight. Ezra hadn't known them from Jack just a few weeks ago, yet he was treating them like his own… almost like a family. She could get use to this. Smiling to herself, she turned to start helping.

* * *

The room was finished before Aria realized it. Ava had lasted only a few more brush strokes before becoming so cranky that Aria was forced to make her take a late afternoon nap. Upon retiring the little girl, however, Ezra and Aria were quickly able to double their pace and within only a matter of an hour or two, they'd applied a generous amount of pink paint to Aria's childhood bedroom. After applying the last coat, they both stood back and admired their work.

"I think we make a pretty damn good team if I do say so myself," Ezra told her with a smile. "Put it there, partner." He raised one hand in expectation of a high five but Aria quickly shook her head and backed away at seeing the swath of paint covering his palm. Ezra grinned deviously at her reaction and took a step towards her.

"Aww, come on, Aria," he prodded. "Besides, you've already got paint here," he reached forward and swiped a small amount on her arm. "And here," again, he painted her slightly down the other arm.

"Ezra," she laughed. "Stop, please."

He had backed them both against the dresser that they'd moved to the middle of the room. Aria felt her heart quicken at the lack of space between them. She looked up at Ezra and tried to calm her breathing.

Ezra reached forward and Aria instantly retreated the minuscule distance behind her until she was placed flush against the tarp covered dresser. Instead of smearing her with more paint as she'd thought, however, Ezra picked up a towel from the dresser and wiped his hands clean. He reached forward to gently wipe the paint he'd applied to her arms and shot her a soft smile as he did.

"You know," he said quietly. "I think painting might just be my new favorite hobby."

Aria gulped softly. "Me too," she whispered, her eyes flicking to his lips. She quickly looked away, though, just in case he had caught her. He had.

Reaching forward, Ezra softly pushed her hair behind one ear and cradled her chin. The late afternoon sun was starting to set and it was getting harder to see without turning on a light. Aria was clearly able to see, though, that she wasn't the only one finding it difficult to breath.

"Ezra."

The sound of his name being uttered so softly from her lips seemed to be all the permission he needed to lean forward and press his lips to hers. The moment between them intensified with their new connection. Instead of releasing her pent up emotions, as Aria thought the kiss would, it only seemed to make her want him more.

She pressed herself firmly to him in an attempt to get closer as they kissed. Only the need for oxygen finally broke them apart.

"Wow," Ezra choked out hoarsely as he took a shaky step back. The sentiment mirrored exactly what Aria was thinking. "That was… wow."

Aria nodded, pushing her hand through her hair as she too took a step back, attempting to regain some of her composure. She shot Ezra a smile, though, to calm any doubts he may have had regarding whether she had felt their connection. There was honestly no way she could have missed the heated up, sexual tension that seemed to now spark through the air between them. The connection, however, didn't make her any less confused about how she felt about him. She knew, however, that she wanted to find out.


	15. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

 _ **EZRA**_

Flipping through his class notes, Ezra paused a moment to highlight a key phrase or two before slowly trudging forward. He had one of his final exams of the semester coming up and he wanted to make sure he received nothing less than an A in every class from now until he graduated. With the pressure of actually completing the degree and doing so while leaving his brother to man their business, he couldn't afford to fail even the tiniest quiz, let alone an exam.

Speaking of his brother… Ezra let out a sigh. Wes had given him permission to find himself, to take time and really come to peace with his life. That didn't mean that Ezra didn't feel bad for leaving. In fact, he made it a daily habit to call and check up on Wesley every day. Wes would say he was doing fine, he'd even hired a local high school kid to help out part-time, but Ezra knew he couldn't stay away forever.

Reaching the end of his chapter review notes, Ezra sat back and pushed a hand through his hair as he stared out at the lake just outside Hardy's back door. Being out here, meeting Aria and Ava… Ezra wasn't sure that he could go back even if he wanted to. He surely couldn't ask them to come with him. Besides, he still hadn't given up on his search for the child Maggie had kept hidden from him all these years. He let his shoulders fall in defeat at that thought. He hadn't found anything but that didn't mean there wasn't anything to be found… right?

Before he let himself get pulled into those everlasting dark moments that he so often had, the buzzing of his cell phone from his front pocket broke him from his trance.

He smiled to himself as he pulled the phone free, he was hoping more than anything that Aria would reach out and ask to see him soon. They'd only seen each other a handful of times over the past couple of weeks because of his classes and he looked forward to each and every encounter.

Seeing the phone screen, however, Ezra felt the smile fade. It showed a number that he didn't recognize, or at least hadn't stored in the phone. He hesitated for only a minute before hitting the button to connect the call.

"Hello?" He asked.

There was silence on the other end before finally… "Ezra? Is that you?"

Ezra sat still, his brows creased in confusion. "Yes?"

"Ezra this is Rebecca, Maggie's friend? I'm not sure if you remember me but-"

"I remember," Ezra cut her off. He softened his tone before continuing. "How can I help you, Rebecca?"

He heard her take in a shaky breath on the other end and all was silent for a moment before she spoke. "I heard that you're staying in Rosewood, or just outside of it I guess, and I was wondering… if you wouldn't mind meeting me for a drink later today? I know it's short notice so I'll understand if you're not available…"

Ezra paused. He vaguely remembered Rebecca. She was one of Maggie's friends from back home and seeing as he avoided that place like the plague, he had really only met her once or twice. That wasn't what was most confusing to him, though. To start, how had she gotten his number? And how did she know where he was staying? Ezra decided that getting the answers to these questions was worth the meeting.

"Sure, I can meet you after dinner. Does sometime around 6 work for you? We could meet over at the Rosewood Grill?"

Rebecca quickly confirmed the time and without any preamble, hung up the phone. Ezra stared at the device in complete bewilderment before deciding, once more, to turn back to his studies though Shakespearian literature was the furthest thing from his mind.

* * *

The dim lights and the cool ambiance of the restaurant seemed to put a mood over the night that felt equally calm and hip. Ezra wasn't much one for spending a lot of time at the public watering holes but he could enjoy the atmosphere of being out in public with a swarm of people he didn't actually have to engage with. He had just wiped a drop of condensation from the side of glass when he felt a presence lower into the seat next to his. He glanced up and saw Rebecca.

"Hey," She greeted kindly, shooting him a warm smile. He nodded in return but before he was able to formulate an actual response, the bartender was wandering over and asking her for an order. "I'll have a Mai Tai, please, with sugar free syrup if you have it."

Ezra rolled his eyes at this. The girls from his home town were shrewd, calorie-counting wenches. Maggie was no exception; he'd just turned a blind eye to it over the years.

"So how'd you find me?" Ezra asked once the drink had been placed down in front of her.

Rebecca let out a short laugh. "It actually wasn't all that hard. I passed through Benton Harbor last week and ran into Wesley."

Ezra nodded. That still didn't explain _why_ she had found him. Seeing the confusion still lacing his face, Rebecca continued.

"I… I was asked to find you, Ezra." Rebecca paused before continuing. "Maggie… Maggie wants you to stop looking."

"She _what_?" Ezra spat. He suddenly felt his blood slowly begin to boil.

Rebecca looked around chaffely, afraid that they were making too much of a scene and she didn't want to stand out. "She- well, she's had a rough go of it lately, Ezra, and she-"

" _She's_ had a rough go of it?! How about me? And why did she send you to deliver this message? She's known that I've been trying to talk to her for ages!"

"I know," Rebecca said calmly. Her demeanor didn't calm him one bit, in fact it irritated Ezra even more. How could she sit there almost as if this conversation was about groceries or the weather? "She didn't think you'd listen without hearing what was going on first and apparently she was right."

"Damn straight," Ezra replied. He took a large swig of his beer, attempting furtively to put out the fire now raging inside of him. "So start explaining."

Rebecca followed his lead and took a sip of her own drink before starting the story. "Maggie got into some trouble after she left you, Ezra. As you know, she found out she was pregnant and that scared the shit out of her. She ran back home and everything seemed to be calming down for her until she met Jason."

"Who's Jason?" Ezra asked. Their home town was pretty small, it was a safe bet that everyone knew everyone, the name Jason, however, didn't ring a bell.

"He moved there a few years before she returned and was working at one of the local law firms. It doesn't matter. Anyway, she started dating him after a few months and nobody noticed a thing was wrong until one day… one day her parents get a call from the local hospital that Maggie'd been admitted to the ICU."

Ezra stilled. As much as he despised Maggie for everything she'd put him through, he couldn't stop caring for her completely.

"Jason, as it turns out, was abusing her on an almost daily basis," Rebecca explained quietly. She refused to meet Ezra's gaze at this statement and he again had to stop himself from completely losing it. Maggie had been pregnant with _his_ child when this was going on. _His_ child.

"Did he hurt the baby?" Ezra asked, almost too scared to hear the answer.

Rebecca quickly shook her head. "No but…"

"But what?" Ezra asked tensely.

"The night she was admitted to the ICU, Jason had shoved her around a bit and she'd fallen down some stairs. She broke her leg and a rib or two and… went into premature labor."

Ezra sucked in a breath, unsure of how to respond to this. Rebecca saved him the trouble, though, and quickly kept going.

"So anyway, she delivered the baby and the Cutlers convinced Maggie to put it up for adoption. Charges were pressed against Jason and he was ultimately sent to jail."

Rebecca picked up the last of her glass and downed the drink to finish the story.

"Everything's been fine until a few months ago. Jason was let out early on good behavior and started hanging around Maggie's work, her home, everywhere."

"Why didn't she get a restraining order?" Ezra asked.

"She did but…" Rebecca trailed off for a moment, contemplating how to phrase her next sentence. "Jason is a _very_ obsessive guy. He doesn't listen and he finds a way to always get what he wants. He didn't care about the baby, never did. He even told Maggie a couple of times before he went to jail that he hoped she lost it as he didn't want anything to do with a kid that wasn't his. What he did… does still care about, however, is Maggie. She decided last week to go into hiding, Ezra."

Ezra stared at Rebecca, everything around them mute or hazy as he only focused on her.

"What does this have to do with me?" He asked. He was sure it came off as insensitive to the situation but honestly, he didn't care.

"Nothing," Rebecca answered sharply, pushing back from the bar to stand. She grabbed her bag, ready to leave. "After Jason went to jail, Maggie had the records sealed for her baby so that Jason couldn't get to her even if he wanted. Those records are due to be unsealed, however, in little over a month. Jason will stop at nothing to find Maggie. She's being protected pretty well; I doubt he'll find her. She's worried, though, that he'll find you... or her child. So she wants you to stop looking so that neither of you get hurt. That decision, I guess, is up to you."

Without another word, Rebecca was gone.

Ezra sat in his chair, torn by the information just presented to him. While he had learned a tremendous amount about what had happened during the years that Maggie had vanished, he wasn't any closer to finding his child. Now he had a decision to make, keep looking or endanger himself, Maggie, and their child.


	16. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

 _ **ARIA**_

Reaching up on her tip toes, Aria slapped the last of the window decorations to the front display and hopped down from her stool to admire her work. The fall season had rolled in, bringing with it hot apple cider, pumpkin flavored everything and, Aria's favorite part, a new holiday season. She was excited to share this experience with Ava and as such, was working all hours to decorate the shop and embrace the holiday fever.

"I think that leaf may be a little crooked," Emily smirked, knocking her shoulder lightly against Aria's as she came over to see the display.

Aria rolled her eyes and turned to clean up the children's area. "Thanks for your help, Em. I think the display looks fine."

Following her, Emily threw a couple pillows on the love seat perched in the corner of the room and picked up a slew of toy army men from the counter tops.

"So… how's Ezra doing?" Emily asked uncertainly. The subject was an awkward one for Emily. She wasn't the type of friend who enjoyed talking about relationships or touchy-feely subjects, so Aria was surprised that she'd even brought it up.

"He's ok, I guess," Aria shrugged. "I haven't seen him a lot lately."

Emily shot her a confused glance as they cleaned. "Why's that?"

"I'm… not really sure," Aria admitted, feeling a flush cover her cheeks. "He hasn't called or texted in a week or so and I-"

"You're doing what you always do and playing hard to get," Emily finished for her. She shot her a knowing glance.

"No, I'm not," Aria shot back defensively. "I just… I'm not sure how this whole dating thing is really supposed to work. I always thought that the guy was supposed to be the one to reach out and I… well I'm nervous, I guess, to do it myself. Besides, are we dating? We've only done things while Ava was around, we've only kissed a handful of times… It's just confusing, I guess."

Emily stopped what she was doing and turned towards her friend, placing her hands on her hips. Honestly, the stance intimidated Aria which is, she was sure, what Emily was going for.

"Aria, where is Ava right now?"

"Oh, she's at Mrs. Warne's daycare. She really loves it there, Em," Aria replied with a smile. She was glad she'd listened to her friend on this topic.

"You should go see Ezra, then," Emily replied, cutting straight to the chase.

"I- I can't do that… can I?" Aria asked uncertainly. She pushed some stray hair behind an ear and folded her arms across her chest as she pondered Emily's suggestion. "What if he's busy? Or not home? Or-"

"Aria, if you want to find an excuse not to see him, you'll find a million. If you really want to keep this relationship, though, you've got to step out of your comfort zone," Emily told her softly. She shot Aria a smile and turned her around towards the door, giving her a slight push. "Now go, I can handle the place for a few hours. Tell Ezra I said hi."

* * *

Pulling up the worn-in gravel path leading to Hardy's place, Aria felt her palms get sweaty and her heart start to pick up in pace.

"Come on, what are you, in high school again?" She said to herself. There was no reason to be nervous to see Ezra, he was… Ezra.

She'd just pulled up behind his car and turned off the ignition when the front door opened and Hardy stepped out. He had a messenger bag thrown across his shoulder and a coffee cup in one hand.

"Aria!" he greeted, making his way down the path. He made his way over to her as she climbed from her car and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek before turning and walking backwards towards his own vehicle. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I'm sure you're not here to see me and I'm already over an hour late for a job so…"

Aria waved him off with a giggle. "It was nice to see you too, Hardy. We'll catch up another time."

"Sounds good, little mama" Hardy replied, doing his best Elvis impersonation. With a quick salute, he was pulling out of the driveway and out of sight.

Aria turned back towards the house and with one last breath to calm herself, she headed up the path.

Reaching the front door of the cabin, Aria knocked quickly. A moment or two went by without her hearing any movement inside and Aria decided to knock again. Maybe he was sleeping? When she again didn't hear any movement, Aria turned back to head towards her car. Perhaps Ezra had left already and Hardy hadn't realized it.

She'd just reached the path when Ezra appeared around the side of the house.

A large smile formed across his face when he saw her and he raised a hand in greeting as he made his way over.

"Hey there," he welcomed, leaning down to press a kiss to her cheek. He backed up a foot or two and started to roll up the sleeves on his flannel shirt. Looking at him closely, Aria could see that he was covered in a sheen of sweat despite the cool autumn air.

"I'm sorry, I don't want to interrupt… whatever it is that you're doing," Aria said.

Ezra let out a short laugh and waved her off. "No, you're not interrupting. I was actually out back splitting some wood for the furnace. Hardy is one of the laziest people I have ever known, and I say that with all my love for him. He'd rather let us freeze than have to chop wood."

Aria giggled, shifting her weight from one foot to the other as they talked. "I believe that."

"Would you like a cup of coffee or anything?" Ezra asked. He hitched a thumb back towards the backyard, where he'd just came from. "I just finished up and was going to jump in the shower. I could get you a cup, though, and we could sit out back?"

Aria nodded, instantly feeling calmer. Something about him did that to her.

"Take your shower, I can find my way to the coffee pot and out back. Meet me when you're done?"

Ezra nodded excitedly and pressed another kiss to her cheek before bounding up the stairs to the house and disappearing.

* * *

Aria sat on one of the cabin's old rocking chairs, staring out at the lake as she nursed her mug and waited for Ezra. The morning was beautiful. The leaves had just started changing colors and the dew that rested on the grass through a prism of light across the yard that looked almost magical. She could see herself living in a place like this one day. As much as she loved her parent's house, the city couldn't compare to the tranquility offered by the woods.

The creaking of the screen door alerted Aria to Ezra's presence and a moment later, he was lowering himself into the chair next to hers. He smelled like soap and his hair was still damp from his shower but he had on a fresh set of clothes and looked more relaxed.

"I brought us some muffins," Ezra offered, extending a plate towards her with the pastries. The steam rolling off of the them told Aria that they were even freshly baked.

"Thank you," she replied, taking one and biting into it. The soft, savory, buttery flavor of the muffins melted into Aria's mouth and she had to stop herself from groaning at how good they were. If Ezra cooked like this, she might just consider marrying this guy.

He smiled at her response and took one for himself before leaning back and staring out across the lake.

"So… how are you?" Aria asked. She again felt herself start to get nervous, this was the part of being in a relationship that she always struggled with. "I mean, we haven't seen each other in a while and…"

Aria let herself trail off, unsure how to continue.

"Hey," Ezra cut in softly, he set his muffin down and turned towards her, reaching for her hand. "That's my fault, completely, ok?"

Aria nodded, unsure.

Threading his fingers with hers, Ezra paused a moment, not sure of how to continue. He sat, staring at their entwined hands for a moment before taking a deep breath and glancing back up at her face.

"Would you like to go for a walk with me?"

Aria, again, nodded and sat her coffee mug down to stand up. Ezra, not once letting go of her hand, followed suit and let her down the worn wooden stairs towards the lake. A path appeared that seemed to follow along the shore and Ezra started them towards that.

The coolness of the fall air was crisp against Aria's face that felt flushed from a combination of her coffee and the moment between them. She hoped, against odds, that the walk would calm her down.

"I've picked up the phone to call you about a dozen or so times over the past two weeks," Ezra admitted after a moment. "I've wanted to see you, and Ava, it's just… I have a lot going on in my life. I didn't want to burden you with any of it, actually, but… if we're going to continue seeing each other, then you have a right to know."

Aria remained silent. She didn't feel it was her place to jump in so she let him continue.

"I- I come from a pretty rough upbringing," Ezra started. He stared ahead as they walked slowly down the path. His hand continued to be latched to hers but he wouldn't meet her gaze as he talked. "My father was… physically abusive towards my brother and myself and my mother… well, she was just checked out most of the time. She was too worried about keeping her status in the elite group of money mongers we associated with to care at all about her children."

Ezra nudged a stone along with the toe of his shoe. "The first chance I got, I left. My brother followed and we ended up about an hour or so east of here where we opened our own bait and tackle shop and hoped, stupidly, that we'd rid ourselves of the life we'd left behind."

"That, I guess, wasn't possible." Ezra let out a short laugh at that. "For the first couple of years, my father and mother wouldn't leave us alone. They called all the time, sent their henchmen down to try and bring us back, hell they even tried to bankrupt us by removing our trust funds that we were relying on to keep the start-up business afloat."

Aria listened quietly, her heart aching for him.

"We didn't go back, though, and eventually they stopped caring. My girlfriend at the time, who'd followed us, could never quite give up her life back home and it eventually tore us apart. Especially when… she got pregnant."

Aria felt her breath hitch in her throat at this statement. "What- what happened to her and the baby?"

"She ran," Ezra answered, suddenly angry. He stopped their walk and sat down heavily on a bench alongside the path. "She didn't trust me to be a good father or something and she took off, heading back home. I tried to follow when I found out but she cut me off. She wouldn't see me, wouldn't talk to me. I've spent the last couple of years trying to find my child, after I found out she gave him or her up for adoption, but I haven't found anything yet. Now I've learned that she's in some sort of trouble from an abusive relationship and I… I don't know what to do anymore…" Ezra trailed off quietly.

Aria reached over a placed a hand on his knee, trying her best to comfort him. "Is there anything I can do?"

Ezra let out a soft sigh and finally met her gaze. "Just… don't run? After everything that's happened, that's my greatest fear right now. I- I was afraid to tell you all of this because I was afraid you'd leave, just like everyone else has."

At these words, Aria felt something arise inside her. She suddenly had the courage she'd always dreamed of having when it came to Ezra and without thinking, she leaned forward and caught his lips with her own. She wove her hands into his black curls and pressed herself closer to him. The taste of coffee and pastries on his mouth sweetened the exchange and she felt him relax into the embrace after only a moment.

Ezra snaked his arms around Aria's waste and hugged her close as they kissed. After a minute, the need for air broke them apart and Aria rested her forehead against Ezra's as they both tried to calm their breathing.

"I'm not going anywhere," Aria told him softly. Ezra opened his eyes to look at her. Leaning back, he cupped her chin with one hand and ran a hand down her hair with another.

"Thank you," he whispered. "I know it's a lot to take in, especially with Ava and all. I don't want to keep anything from you, Aria. I feel… I feel like this is the real deal between us, you know?"

Aria nodded in complete understanding.

"Then let's not? Keep anything from each other I mean," she replied. "I'm here for you, Ezra. In any way that you want me and I'm not going anywhere."

Ezra smiled at that and again leaned forward to press a soft kiss to her mouth. "Good, because I'm not letting you go anywhere."


	17. Chapter 17

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

 _ **ARIA**_

"Ava, please don't touch that!" Aria chided gently as she removed the pear from Ava's small hands.

Ava's face immediately turned into a frown and she was quick to start whimpering. Aria reacted quickly, knowing that such a response meant she only had moments until Ava had a complete breakdown.

"Hey, would you like to split a doughnut with me from Mr. Stanley's stand?" Aria asked, trying her best to divert the small child's attention away from the forbidden fruit.

Ava sniffled once but nodded and held her hand up towards Aria so that she could grab ahold of it.

Making their way through the early Saturday morning crowd, Aria lead Ava past stands full of corn and squash and other local produce. The weekly trip to the farmer's market had been one of Aria's favorite times as a child. This place contained so many memories that she couldn't wait to share them with Ava and they were slowly using the venue to create their own.

There were, at most, only a weekend or two left in the season before everyone would pack up their stands and force the consumers to shuffle back towards the supermarkets. Aria was going to take advantage of the market for as long as she could.

"Why hello there, Ms. Ava," Mr. Stanley drawled slowly when the two of them approached. He was old enough that Aria remembered purchasing doughnuts from him as a child but nothing about his personality had changed. He was still one of the kindest Rosewood residents that she knew. "What are we feeling today? Jelly, powdered sugar, sprinkles?"

Ava thought for a moment, her eyes flicking over all of her choices. Aria, knowing she'd pick the one with the most sugar, quickly jumped in.

"How about that one over there?" She prodded kindly, pointing towards a plain doughnut without any of the bells and whistles offered by Mr. Stanley. Ava instantly frowned.

"Come on, Ar," a voice piped up behind her. "You gotta at least let her get one with sprinkles."

Aria turned and smiled as she saw Ezra. He leaned down to press a quick kiss to her cheek and then turned to scoop up little Ava who giggled and pressed a sloppy kiss of her own to his cheek.

"How about that one?" Ezra asked the little girl, pointing towards a pink doughnut with a rainbow of confetti sprinkled across it. "I'll even pay if you let me have a bite."

Aria smiled at the suggestion and watched as Ava fervently nodded her head and made a grab towards the line of pastries. Ezra was quick, though, and drew her back before her hands could touch any of the food.

"We'll take that one, then," Ezra confirmed, nodding towards the doughnut in question. Mr. Stanley smiled and extracted the doughnut, exchanging it for the money offered by Ezra. They nodded a quick goodbye and were then on to the next stand.

"Thank you, I could have got that," Aria told him as they walked.

Ezra shot her a look that clearly said 'we've been over this before, please drop it' so Aria decided to quickly change the topic at hand.

"How are you today, Ezra? If I knew you were free, I would have invited you to join us."

Ezra paused a moment to take a large bite out of the doughnut suddenly shoved in his face by Ava and Aria giggled as she watched him struggle to swallow for a moment.

"I'm good," he choked out with a laugh. "I was going to spend the day finishing up a manuscript that I've been working on but decided I could use a break. I hope it's ok that I surprised you?"

Aria grinned and nodded her head. Reaching forward she laced her free hand with his and adjusted the weight of her shopping bag on her other shoulder as they walked.

"Of course. We were actually just about to finish up and get some lunch. Are you hungry?"

Ezra nodded and steered them towards the cars. "I'm always hungry."

* * *

By the time they'd finished depositing their bags in Aria's car and deciding what restaurant to venture to for lunch, the sun had risen to about midday and downtown Rosewood, despite the crisp, late autumn air, was starting to buzz heartily with life. They reached the Rosewood Tavern and requested a table for three with a booster seat, only waiting a few moments before they were seated.

"Should we ask for a cup with a lid for Ava?" Ezra asked when three waters were placed down on the counter.

Aria sighed. She'd brought one but had unfortunately left in one of the bags in the car. "We can try but I doubt they'll have one. We'll just have to help her."

Ava started fidgeting after a moment, clearly not happy at sitting and doing nothing. Digging in her purse, Aria produced a couple crayons to placate the child whilst they waited on their food. Ezra smiled as he watched. Though Aria was sure he was thinking that she was a pro at this mothering thing, she often felt that she was worlds away from actually being anything of the sort.

"I did want to talk to you today about something," Ezra said, breaking the amicable silence between them after a minute.

Aria glanced up at him and shot him a smile, seeing the way he fidgeted with his napkin. "What about?"

"I, uhm, I'll probably be leaving in a week or two, when the semester ends, of course, to head back to Benton Harbor and help out my brother for a while," Ezra rushed out, cutting straight to the point.

Aria stilled. "How long are you going to be away?" She felt like there was something he was holding back from her.

"I'm not sure," Ezra answered honestly. "I hope that it won't be too long but… I've left my brother high and dry for a while now and I can't continue to do that. He says he understands but…"

Aria nodded. "It's ok. I didn't really think this was anything permanent, Ezra." She answered, trying to protect herself from the rush of emotions she was suddenly feeling.

Ezra's face immediately turned confused at her answer and she could see he was struggling with how to respond to her statement. Aria couldn't feel bad for him, though, as she fought the tears that were creeping into her eyes.

"I know that you have this other life outside of Rosewood and you've been kind enough to tell me about everything going on. I would never expect you to give that up for us, though," Aria whispered, looking anywhere but at him.

Ezra reach across the table and grasped her hand. "Aria, that's not what I meant. I would never want to leave you or Ava."

He sat back and ran a hand through his hair. "I've got some loose ends, though, that I need to tie up before I can start anything new. You understand that, right?"

Aria took a deep breath and nodded. She did understand, that didn't make what he was saying easy to hear, though. Before she could formulate a response, however, Ezra frowned and pulled his buzzing cell phone from his pocket. Glancing down at the screen, Aria saw his demeanor change. He looked as if he needed to take the call but didn't want to be rude by doing so. Aria waved at him, giving him permission to take a moment. The call would allow her a moment as well, one that she desperately needed.

Ezra smiled apologetically before rising from the table and connecting the call as he stepped outside. Aria let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and glanced over at Ava who was patiently coloring on the place mat in front of her.

"Look, mama," Ava chirped happily, raising the paper for Aria to see what she'd drawn. "Iz a birdie!"

Aria's heart jumped at the title Ava had given her and she smiled brightly, slightly appeasing the war raging inside her. She laughed at the little girl's enthusiasm and reached over to smooth her hair.

"That looks beautiful, Ava," she responded. "Can you draw me something else now? How about a… boat?"

Ava nodded quickly and got down to work, instantly being drawn into her coloring.

Aria sighed again and took a glance around the restaurant. This place, as quirky as it was, was her home. This was where she'd grown up, graduated from high school, lost her parents, and eventually found Ava… and Ezra. She couldn't blame him for wanting to head back to his home, could she?

"Sorry," Ezra mumbled as he dropped back into the seat across from her minutes later. She glanced towards him and instantly saw that he was worlds away from where she was right now.

"It's ok," she answered, reaching over to link their fingers together. Something was now bothering him and she wanted him to know that whatever it was, it truly would be ok. She paused for a moment before continuing, deciding to finish the conversation they'd started previously. "If you have to tie things up back home with your brother, we understand. Just… don't take too long, ok?"

Ezra visibly relaxed and reached across the table to run his fingers across her cheek. "I won't. I promise."


	18. Chapter 18

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

" _I'm the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. It's awful. If I'm on my way to the store to buy a magazine, even, and somebody asks me where I'm going, I'm liable to say I'm going to the opera. It's terrible." ― J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye_

 _ **EZRA**_

Ezra fiddled with the nobs on his radio dial, furtively trying to find his way out of the never ending static that had taken over his preprogrammed radio stations within the last ten minutes. He really needed to think about getting a new car, hell this one didn't even have the scan feature. Eventually giving up, he clicked off the radio and returned his focus to the road ahead of him. He wasn't that far from the shop, he could survive a few minutes of silence.

The closer he got to the town he once called home, the more Ezra grew nervous. He talked to his brother, Wesley, on almost a daily basis but that didn't mean he'd welcome him back with open arms. Especially after Ezra explained what was going on.

His thoughts then turned where he'd been trying to avoid all morning. The real purpose for this trip, albeit what he told Aria, was not to tie up loose ends with his brother. He hoped he could do that as well, but he had a bigger agenda. Something that had been in the foreground of every thought he'd had since that phone call.

He clicked on his turn signal, signaling that he wanted to make a left and waited only a moment for a car to pass before pulling into the parking lot just outside the law offices on the north side of Benton Harbor. This was the stop he had to make first and it just might be the biggest moment of his life.

* * *

"Ezra, it's nice to see you again," Abigail Sterling greeted as Ezra took a seat in one of the plush chairs adorning her office.

"You too," Ezra replied, offering her a weak smile. "You said you had some news for me?"

Abigail nodded. "Right to business."

Shuffling through the folders stacked high upon her desk, she eventually found the file in question and pulled it free. The room was silent for what felt like forever as she flipped through the pages stuffed inside the manila folder. Ezra, feeling as if his nerves were on the edge of being fried, picked at a loose string hanging from his shirt sleeve as he nervously waited for her to continue speaking. He didn't have to wait long.

"I appreciate you driving down here for this meeting, Ezra," Abigail started. She set the folder down and leaned back in her chair, shooting him a smile to try and calm the nervous energy emanating from every cell in his body. "We could have discussed this over the phone, but with such a delicate matter, it's often easier to talk in person."

Ezra nodded in understanding. He took a deep breath before deciding to just plunge right into the thick of it. "What's the report say?"

"Before I release that information, I want to make sure that you understand that just because we have a name, that doesn't mean it hasn't been changed. Especially if she was adopted already," Abigail explained.

"She?" Ezra whispered. This was the first confirmation that he did have a child out there and that child was in fact a little girl.

The lawyer smiled warmly at him and nodded. "That's right. You have a daughter and she just turned four a month ago."

Ezra, instead of feeling his heart slow down at finally learning something about his child, felt all of the nervous energy he'd been harboring suddenly rise to the surface.

"And her name?" he choked out.

Abigail turned to the file again and flipped a few pages. "Ava Sophia Cutler."

The blood pumping through his body suddenly felt like it had pooled in his feet. Ava? Could that be Aria's Ava? He didn't want to jump to any conclusions, but how many four year olds in the state of Pennsylvania could there be with that exact name? The only part that didn't coincide with the theory was the last name.

"Are you sure that her last name is Cutler?" Ezra asked. "I've searched through every orphanage from here to the coast, using both my last name and Maggie's and nothing has ever come up?"

"That's where it gets sticky, Ezra," Abigail explained. "Her records were sealed, of course, on request of the parents and the legal issues with her mother. After Maggie went into protective services, the child's last name could have been changed to protect her identity as well. With a criminal investigation underway, we won't have access to that information until the case is settled."

"So there's still no way to know for sure where my daughter is?" Ezra asked, immediately feeling, once again, defeated.

The lawyer was silent for a moment before responding. "Until we have access to the court protected records, the only way to positively identify your daughter would be through blood work."

At that Ezra leapt to his feet.

"Mr. Fitz, you would need a court order or the current care giver's permission, though, to request a DNA test for a child. Besides, I haven't given you much to go on other than a name. You can't simply go around to every orphanage and request a DNA test for every Ava that you find."

Ezra shot her a look as he gathered his keys from his pocket and headed towards the door. "You may be right, Mrs. Sterling, but I may have an idea or two. Thank you for your help."

* * *

The bell above the door to the shop rang out as Ezra entered the store he and his brother operated. Glancing around, he noticed that nothing had really changed much. The shelves were lined with daily consumables and novelties, the air hung with salt from the nearby sea and the sunshine pouring in from the wall of windows overlooking the bay lit the room almost as if it was on fire.

Hearing the bell, his brother popped his head out from behind the counter and smiled wildly at seeing Ezra.

"Z!" He greeted, jumping over the counter to grab his brother in a bear hug. "It's been a while. Are you back for good now?"

Ezra stopped short, unsure of how to answer. He hadn't quite decided what to do about his living arrangements yet and his conversation with his lawyer hadn't made his decision any clearer.

"I'm not sure, Wes," Ezra answered honestly. He lowered the duffel bag he'd been toting from his shoulder to the floor behind the counter and turned to face his brother. "How are things here? The place is still standing so that's a good sign."

Wes waved him off and turned back towards the shelves that he'd been restocking with various sugary confections. "You know how it is, some days we're packed and others…"

Ezra nodded. At that moment he took a second to really take in his brother. The tightness in his shoulders and face muscles told him that he was holding something back. Ezra glanced back around the shop. That's when he noticed the addition off the main entry.

"How did you afford that?" Ezra asked quizzically, walking towards the room to get a good look. Stepping over the threshold, he took in the rows of pinball machines and video games. They all sparkled brand new, not an inch of dust on them. "Wes?"

Sighing, Wes rose from his crouched position and turned towards his brother, folding his arms across his chest as he moved.

"I may have run into some help," he answered cryptically.

"You may have?" Ezra scoffed. Opening his arms towards the room, he continued. "This is a huge move. Why didn't you talk to me about this?"

"You're never here anymore, Ezra," Wesley spat out. "I've been struggling to keep this place afloat for months now and it just so happens that a new resident, who graduated with an actual business degree mind you, moved out this way and wanted to invest in the place."

Ezra stayed silent at his brother's explanation.

"He's really been helpful, Z," Wes told him, quieting his tone. "We added this game room to draw in the younger crowd, a new cooler system for the bait and tackle amenities and next month we're going to host a fishing tournament. The town's actually noticing our shop for once."

Ezra sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets. "I'm glad everything is turning around, Wes, I do. I just wish you'd talked to me about this."

He turned back to the main store front and walked over to the windows overlooking the bay. Running his fingers down a scuff in the window pane, he smiled at the memory of he and Wesley moving one of the shelves and creating that exact mark. He decided then that if he wasn't actively going to manage the place, then he could live with any changes his brother made as long as it fared well for the business.

"How have you been, though, Z, really?" Wes asked, coming to stand beside him.

Ezra flicked his eyes towards his brother and dropped his hand. Sighing, he turned to lean against the empty wall next to the window.

"I've been… confused," he admitted.

Wes didn't respond, letting Ezra muddle through his thoughts.

"I've told you about Maggie, the baby, Aria… and Ava," he continued. "I learned today, though, that the stories between all of them may be linked."

"How so?" Wes asked confused.

Ezra sighed and dived right into the story, not leaving out a single detail. He'd always found his brother easy to talk to. He was a great listener and that was exactly what Ezra needed right now. When he'd finished, Wes remained silent for a moment as he thought about how to properly respond to what Ezra had just told him.

"So you think Aria's Ava… might actually be your Ava but you're not 100% sure?" He asked to clarify. Ezra nodded. "So ask Aria if you can have a DNA test done. It's that simple."

"But what if I'm wrong?"

"Would you love that child any less?" Wes asked.

Ezra shook his head. "No, absolutely not."

His thoughts suddenly changed direction and he remembered something that Rebecca had said to him when she'd told him what was going on with Maggie.

"I could be putting them in danger, though, if I do that," Ezra replied softly. "Until this guy who's threatening Maggie is put away… I don't know if I could do that."

Wes reached out and laid a hand on his brother's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. He didn't offer much, what could he say? His silence, though, was all the comfort Ezra needed in that moment.


	19. Chapter 19

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

 _ **EZRA**_

He ended up spending a little over a week in Benton Harbor with his brother before finally deciding that everything was under control there and that he could return to Rosewood. During his time at the shop, however, Wesley refused to divulge any pertinent information to Ezra regarding the mysterious donor they had for the shop. According to Wes, the guy didn't want to be involved in ownership or paperwork of any kind, he'd simply written them a blank check. Although this made Ezra feel uneasy, he couldn't turn down the vast improvements being made to the store.

Strumming his fingers across the steering wheel as he drove, Ezra's thoughts once again returned to Aria and Ava. Was Ava his? Did he have any right to ask Aria for a DNA test to find out? He was treading in murky water and didn't know what the right move was. He wished it was possible for the request for the paternity test to come anonymously. What if…

Ezra sat up straighter as an idea occurred to him.

What if he called his lawyer and asked that she put through a request for a DNA test from the state? She could maybe even use Maggie's current legal situation as justification for the request. By having the request come from the outside, Ezra could stay clear of any misunderstandings but still get the information he needed.

Digging through his pockets, Ezra fished out his phone and quickly hit the number to connect him to Abigail Sterling.

 _ **ARIA**_

"She has got to be the cutest pumpkin that I have ever seen," Emily cooed.

Aria smiled and hoisted a suddenly shy Ava onto her hip as they strolled through the town commons. Swinging by Emily's place to grab her friend, the three of them were off to the Rosewood Thanksgiving festival, each clad in their own Holiday garb.

Ava, instead of responding as her bubbly, happy toddler self, instead dug her face into Aria's shoulder, trying to hide herself from the world. Aria sighed at the response. While she felt she'd made a lot of progress with the little girl in bringing her out of her shell, there were still instances such as this where Ava retreated back into herself and withdrew from everyone, including Aria.

"Thanks, Em," Aria responded, running her hand over Ava's curls as they walked. "Ava's looking forward to the pumpkin pie and candy corn. Aren't you, Sweetie?"

Ava didn't respond, instead reverting to a habit she'd almost forgone by sticking her thumb into her mouth and sucking quietly. Aria pressed a kiss to her head and decided to let it go.

"Have you heard from Ezra?" Emily asked as they walked. They stopped at the end of the line of people waiting to get into the festival and slowly joined the group as it trudged forward towards the entrance.

Aria nodded, though the response was tentative and almost unsure.

"We've been texting back and forth and he's called a few times. I'm not sure when he's heading back, though."

"And does that worry you?" Emily asked. Aria didn't respond, answering Emily's question.

Just as Emily was about to continue the conversation, a voice rang out from behind Aria calling her name. Aria turned to see Spencer and Toby joining them in line.

"Hey!" Spencer greeted, pulling Toby so that they were directly behind Aria and Emily. "I didn't know you and Ava were going to be here!"

Noticing Emily, she offered her hand. "Hi, I'm Spencer and this is my husband Toby."

"Emily," she responded quickly, shooting the pair a grin and shaking Spencer's hand. Regarding Spencer for a moment, Emily shot her a questioning look. "Have I met you before? You look really familiar…"

Spencer shrugged and followed along as the line moved forward. "I'm on the county board of electors. I do a lot of political work. Maybe you recognize me from that?"

Emily thought a moment before shrugging it off. "Maybe."

The group slowly moved forward, eventually making their way into the fair and through the crowds of people. Stopping next to the line for the petting zoo, Aria set Ava on her feet and quickly grasped the little girl's hand before she could take off.

"I think that Toby and I are going to go grab a hot cider, does anybody want anything?" Spencer asked.

"I'll come with you," Emily volunteered, shooting Aria a look for permission. Aria smiled in return, she could handle Ava alone.

The moment Emily, Spencer and Toby left, however, Ava started to become restless. She tugged at Aria's hand, urging them to move forward faster and played with the cute pumpkin hat that finished off her outfit.

"Ava, sweetheart, please don't lose your hat," Aria begged quietly. She ran her hand soothingly over Ava's curls as the girl continued to tug on her hand and whimper quietly. Aria knew she was on the verge of a meltdown, she'd seen it one too many times already, she just prayed Ava would holdout until they reached the animals. Animals always calmed her down.

Inching forward, Ava's whimpers grew increasingly louder. She had no patience for waiting around and so far, that was all they had done today. Just as Aria was sure she was going to lose the battle for sanity, arms reached down and scooped the little girl off her feet, turning her whimpers into squeals of happiness.

"Eza!" Ava cried with a wide, toothy grin. She planted a sloppy kiss to his cheek and reached forward to take the candy apple he extended. Ezra was clad in a tan jacket, flannel shirt and wool knit hat, looking ten times warmer than Aria felt.

"Hi there, pumpkin," Ezra greeted with a chuckle, his term of endearment not lost on Aria. He turned to her and leaned down to press his own kiss to Aria's frigid cheek. "Hey there to you as well."

Aria smiled at him and took the hand he offered as they finally moved into the pen housing the variety of ducks, goats, and other animals. Wiggling to get down, Ezra conceded and placed Ava on her feet, swapping the treat he'd given her for a napkin and watching as she ran off towards the ducks.

"So how was your trip back home," Aria ventured, unsure how to break the almost awkward silence between them.

Ezra was silent as he mulled over how to answer, never once taking his eyes off of Ava. They leaned against a fence post and laughed as they watched the child chased the now frantic ducks.

"It was… good, I guess," Ezra answered. "My brother's doing well and the shop is surviving."

Aria pushed a strand piece of hair behind her ear and decided to voice a concern that had been nagging at her since he'd left. "… But you'll have to return eventually, right? I mean you can't just abandon your business."

Ezra turned towards her then. Taking her hand in his, he softly ran a thumb over her knuckles as he talked. "Hey, I've got a couple more months before anything has to be decided. My brother wants me to finish my degree and that should take me until May at the earliest. We can talk about the options later. You shouldn't worry about anything right now, alright?"

Though Ezra's words were comforting, Aria could still feel the unrest bubbling up inside of her that had started brewing the moment he'd taken off for Benton Harbor. She nodded reluctantly and Ezra could tell she was still torn. Reaching forward, he cupped her cheek and tilted her chin so that their eyes met.

"I'm not going anywhere, Aria. I want you to believe that, please."

After a moment, Aria nodded slowly and offered him a small smile in understanding. She knew Ezra would do whatever he could to stay but she didn't want him to give up everything he had for them if it wasn't what he wanted.

Still sensing her uncertainty, Ezra leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Aria's cold mouth. Though the embrace was short, it was passionate enough that Aria truly did feel how much Ezra cared for her. Breaking the kiss, he leaned his head against hers and pressed another kiss to her temple before turning once more to watch Ava who had now turned to tormenting the stable cats.

Aria had just gotten comfortable in Ezra's arms when she felt her phone start to buzz from her pocket. She dug the device out and furrowed her brows at the unknown number. Ezra, shot her a quick smile, telling her to take the call before turning back to watch Ava.

Aria moved away from him slightly and walked a few feet away before answering.

The voice on the other end of the phone was unrecognizable when Aria picked up. She listened for a few moments, her confusing growing tenfold, before nodding and voicing her understanding. She listened as the line disconnected and stared at it a moment before turning back to where Ezra stood a few feet away.

"Is everything ok?" He asked as she returned to his side. Noticing her silence, he reached out to wind his fingers through her own, encouraging her to take her time before responding.

Aria nodded slowly, confusion still etched across her features. "That was the foster home. Apparently an order has been issued for a DNA test to be done on Ava. I'll have to take her down to the clinic by Friday."

Ezra stilled, instantly catching Aria's attention. "Did they say what it was for?" He asked slowly.

Aria shook her head, even more confused by his response. "No… You wouldn't know anything about this... would you?"

She hesitated in asking him, not wanting to put him in any kind of awkward position but, after a slight pause, he just shook his head. Sighing, she turned back to where her daughter played feet away and decided that she wouldn't worry about what she couldn't control right now. She was sure she'd get some answers eventually.


	20. Chapter 20

**CHAPTER TWENTY**

 _ **EZRA**_

To say that the last week had been stressful would be an understatement. Aside from cramming for his exams and spending his free time helping his brother with the finances to the shop back home, he had to watch Aria shoulder the stress of taking Ava for a DNA test without knowing what was going on. As much as he wanted to speak up and tell her what was going on, he knew that if he did that and Ava turned out not to be his daughter, he'd create tension between them that didn't need to be there. As such, he watched from afar and listened to Aria's worries but kept quiet.

"You know, if you stare at your line a little harder, you might will a fish to jump on it," Hardy joked, taking a swig from his beer.

The two of them sat at the lake behind Hardy's property, fishing lines planted in the water and a couple of cold beers to share between them. Ezra found that he was really enjoying himself, even with Hardy being his normal, annoying self.

"Hey, I've had more bites in the last half hour than you have since we sat down," Ezra shot back with a grin. He pulled lightly on the string, testing the tension.

Hardy shrugged. "Beginner's luck."

They were silent for a few minutes more, simply content to stare out over the water and sip on their drinks. Hardy, though, was never one to stay quiet for long, even when the activity they were currently partaking in required him to do so.

"How's Aria? Haven't seen much of her lately…" he said, breaking their silence.

"She's good," Ezra responded quickly. Hardy shot him a look.

"So you haven't told her," he said, jumping to the obvious. Ezra had filled Harvey in on everything going on. He'd needed someone to talk to and he knew that Hardy would never speak a word of any of it if asked.

Ezra shook his head, refusing to meet his friend's gaze. "I just don't see the point in creating drama if it can be avoided. It's only been a week since she took Ava in for the test, I have a little more time before they'll call with the results."

Hardy rolled his eyes at Ezra's answer. "And there's bound to be no drama at all if that little girl turns out to be yours," he said sarcastically. Shaking his head, Hardy turned back to his fishing pole.

Ezra sighed. Hardy was right, as much as he hated to admit it. That didn't make it any easier for Ezra to tell Aria what was going on. He was just about to respond when his phone started to buzz from his pocket. Ezra pulled the phone from his pocket and upon seeing the screen, drew completely still. Hardy didn't miss his reaction.

Standing, Hardy motioned for him to take the call before turning for the house. "Take that. I'm going to grab a few more beers."

When his friend was safely out of earshot, Ezra nervously hit the button to connect him to the caller and brought the phone to his ear.

 _ **ARIA**_

Aria stirred the pot of homemade soup she'd put together for Ava and reached for the jar of fresh basil to garnish the dish. Turning the stove's flame to a low simmer, she wiped her hands on a dish towel and turned for the living room.

"What's this animal here?" She heard Mike ask as she stepped into the room.

"Moooooo," Ava responded, clapping her hands to both of Mike's cheeks as she giggled.

Mike, having finished his semester studies early, had decided to come home and help Aria with the house and Ava for a week or two until he took off for a skiing trip with his buddies in Colorado. Seeing Aria plop down on the couch he raised his eyebrows in question before standing and sweeping a giggling Ava into his arms.

"You don't look ready to go anywhere," he said, pointing out the obvious. Aria looked down at her worn sweats and ran a tired hand through her hair.

"I know," she responded. "I have a half hour, though, before Ezra gets here. I'm going to jump in the shower now. Would you mind keeping an eye on the soup so that it doesn't boil over?"

Mike waved her off and turned for the kitchen. "Come on Ava Bear, we got some scavenging to do."

* * *

True to Aria's word, Ezra was knocking at their front door almost exactly thirty minutes later. Fixing her hair one last time in the mirror she headed down the stairs.

"Hey," she greeted Ezra with a small smile. Seeing the small bouquet of daisies in his hand, she smiled and took in their rich fragrance when he reached down to press a soft kiss to her cheek. "Those are beautiful."

"Thank you," Ezra said. He didn't, however, extend the flowers to her. "These aren't for you, though."

The sound of stampeding tiny feet followed his statement and before Aria could reply, Ava was pushing her way past her to latch onto Ezra's leg.

"Eza!" She cried happily, raising her arms so that Ezra could pick her up. Instead, he knelt to her level and presented the flowers.

"Hi there, Princess," he replied, pressing a kiss (just as he'd done to Aria) to Ava's cheek. "These are for you."

"Aw, and here I thought, they were for _me_ ," Mike teased, stepping up behind Aria. Reaching around, he shook Ezra's hand. "It's nice to see you again, Ezra. Don't keep my sister out too late, I don't promise how long I'll be able to keep my sanity with babysitting this little girl."

Ezra smiled and offered his arm to Aria. "Don't worry, we'll be back to save you… eventually."

* * *

The night was still young, with the hour only reaching just shy of eight o'clock, when Aria and Ezra finished dinner. They'd ventured to a new restaurant that had opened up in the town square and even though it was a bit pricey for them, they couldn't deny how delicious their food had been. Throughout the evening, however, Aria didn't miss the awkwardness between them. Something was on Ezra's mind. He hadn't looked at her fully throughout the meal and his responses to anything she said were short and to the point. His actions made her nervous. Was he breaking up with her?

Having finished their meal and paid for the bill, the pair stood and headed for the coat check. Helping Aria shrug into her jacket, Ezra nervously offered her his hand and started to lead them outside for a stroll. The soft light from the street lamps did a great job at masking Aria's own nervousness. She hadn't been able to kill the doubts that flooded her mind when it came to her and Ezra or to the situation with Ava. This night spent with him told her that he was being burdened as well, she didn't know by what. Ezra slowed their walk as they approached a bench overlooking most of the town center. It was half undercover, hidden by the shadow of a looming elm tree and Aria thought that it was perfect. They sat down, Ezra never once letting go of her hand.

Running his thumb tentatively over her knuckles, Aria watched as Ezra took a deep breath and for once that evening, finally looked her in the eyes.

"Ezra, what's going on?" Aria asked when he didn't immediately start to talk.

"This is really hard for me to say… and I don't quite know where to start," Ezra admitted.

Aria, more confused than ever, squeezed his hand reassuringly. "How about at the beginning?"

Ezra nodded.

"The DNA test required for Ava from the state was issued because I put through a request for it," he told her all in one breath. He paused, registering her shock, before continuing. "Part of the reason I went back to Benton Harbor for a few weeks was not only to help my brother out with the shop but because my lawyer called and told me she was finally able to release information on my child."

Aria didn't respond. She didn't know how to right now.

"She told me- she told me that I have a daughter, around 4 years of age… and that her name is Ava," Ezra finished in a whisper. He'd moved his gaze from Aria's, unable to keep the contact as he released the delicate information.

Aria slowly removed her hand from Ezra's. "So you think…" she started, trailing off.

Ezra didn't respond at first to her question. He let the air between them hang with uncertainty and Aria felt herself drawing further away from him.

"I… I wasn't sure, Aria," Ezra answered after a moment. He looked at her, almost silently pleading with her to understand. "I've been looking for so long that when I finally received information- I didn't want to jump to conclusions. I didn't want you worrying about anything, especially if Ava turned out to not be the Ava that I'm looking for."

Aria decided to cut to the chase. She couldn't stand this back and forth game they had going on any longer.

"So is she?" Aria asked, a firm tone to her voice. She refused to break the eye contact between them, forcing Ezra to be honest with her. "Did you get the results?"

Ezra slowly nodded. "My lawyer called me this afternoon. That's why I wanted to meet with you." Taking a deep breath, he forced the next statement from his mouth, unsure of how Aria would respond. "And yes, she's mine."

At Ezra's answer, Aria felt her entire world come to a stop. A thousand questions raced through her mind. Would she lose Ava? Was Ezra going to request custody? What were her rights?

Standing quickly, Aria backed away from Ezra as she hitched her purse onto her shoulder. "I- I've got to go," she told him in a hurry, feeling her eyes start to well with tears.

"Aria-" Ezra started, jumping to his feet. The desperation in his voice was clear: he didn't want her to go. He wanted her to stay and talk with him about everything.

 _'It's too late for that,'_ Aria thought, shaking her head.

"I- I can't right now," Aria told him, hearing her voice break with her overwhelming emotions. "I need space, Ezra."

With that, Aria spun on her heels and took off at a brisk walk, heading for home and away from Ezra and the situation now brewing between them.


	21. Chapter 21

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE**

" _[…] difficult times lie ahead. Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy." – J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_

 _ **ARIA**_

She felt constantly on edge, always hyper aware of her surroundings and those she interacted with. Anyone who knew anything about her would probably attribute her unease to the situation she was dealing with regarding Ava. Aria, however, knew that it was so much more than that. The fear of losing Ava, after just having gained custody of her, brought to life all of the insecurities and doubts she'd wrestled with after her parents had passed away. She felt inadequate, unable to provide for the one person who needed her the most, instantly reconnecting her with the same turbulent feelings she'd experienced when she'd had to take care of Mike.

As much as she wanted to, Aria couldn't even blame Ezra for what was happening. And believe her, she wanted to. Bad. She'd been ignoring his calls, had pretended they weren't home the few times he stopped over. But again, she couldn't blame Ezra, none of this was his fault. He'd had his child ripped away from him before she was born and had spent the better part of the last 4-5 years of his life searching up and down the eastern coast for her. It wasn't his fault that the child he'd so desperately wanted to connect with was the same child that Aria had just recently accepted as her own.

It didn't make the situation easier, though, and Aria was at a loss as to what to do next. Having finally found Ava, Aria knew that all Ezra had to do was have his lawyer put through a court-appointed order for her return to him and she'd be… gone. Just like that. Aria wasn't sure she could handle that. So she held close to Ava, protected her like she was her own and kept them both cooped up at home. They hadn't ventured to the town center or to the park in over a week now and Aria could see the effect it was having on Ava. She knew something had to give soon.

Running her hand, once again, down the glossy catalogue pages in front of her, Aria let out a small sigh. There was only so many times that she could shop for inventory for the book store until everything she read started to melt together and no longer make any sense. Perhaps this being cooped up in the house charade was starting to affect her just as much as it was affecting Ava. They needed to get out of the house, get some fresh air, and ultimately, just unwind. It would do them both some good. Just then, an article in the daily paper resting on the counter to her left caught her eye.

"Ava, Baby," Aria called, standing from her perch at the kitchen counter. "Where are you?"

Tiny feet pounded down the stairs behind her. "I'm right here, Mommy," Ava replied, her toothy grin instantly brightening Aria's spirits.

"How would you like to go outside today?" Aria asked, kneeling to the little girl's level and gently brushing some of her curls behind one ear.

Ava's eyes instantly lit up and she nodded her head vehemently, her tiny curls bouncing every which way with the movement. Aria couldn't help but smile at the site, even with the turmoil of emotions bidding their time within her.

"Well go gather your coat and boots," Aria smiled with fake enthusiasm. "Let's go out."

* * *

The brisk autumn air was a welcome reprieve from the stuffiness that had lately encased their home. The cold bite of the wind hinted at the snow that would not be too far off as the leaves decorating the ground papered the walkway as natural confetti. The site always brought a smile to Aria's face, fall was one of her favorite seasons and with Thanksgiving only a few days away, Aria sought to soak in the last days of autumn before they turned to the harsh snow and ice of winter.

"Ava, stay with me please," Aria called, attracting the child's attention. Ava had skipped many paces ahead, eager as always to know what was going on everywhere around her. She had grown a tremendous amount since those first few perilous weeks together. Ever obedient, though, she slowed her pace enough for Aria to reach her side and reached up to grab Aria's hand.

"Sorry, Mommy," Ava said. Aria squeezed her hand lightly, showing her that she wasn't truly upset with her, and they continued walking.

The afternoon found them wondering the corn fields of one of the neighboring farms. Advertising warm apple cider, hay rides, pumpkin carving and a variety of other activities, Aria thought the event would be a perfect way to spend their day and Ava so far seemed to be enjoying it.

Approaching the mock-entrance to the facility, Aria dutifully paid their admission and guided Ava past the rows of cartoonish scarecrows and tables of apple pies. Children of all ages, probably dumped by their parents, were sectioned off in an area housing a giant sled made of hay. Aria watched as Ava's eyes darted towards the commotion and back to her, silently asking permission to join in the fun. Aria smiled and dropped her hand.

"Go ahead, I'll watch from over here," Aria offered gently. Ava wasted no time and hoofed it to the long line of children awaiting their turn on the slide. Aria turned and found an open spot at the table of adults surrounding the play pen. No sooner had she sat down, a young guy, probably in his teens, came around offering free cups of coffee.

"Would you like some coffee, Ma'am?" he asked as he reached Aria. "It's decaf."

Aria smiled gratefully and plucked a warm cup from the tray he offered. "Thank you."

She flicked her eyes back towards Ava and smiled as she watched as her daughter explained, with very large gestures, some intricate story to a small boy standing ahead of her. Aria could comfortably say that she thought Ava was firmly out of her 'shy' stage.

The creaking of the bench she sat upon drew Aria's attention from Ava to a middle aged couple sitting down next to her. They seemed drawn into their own heated conversation and paid no mind to Aria.

"All I'm saying is, this is my weekend with him," the guy hissed quietly. "I don't need you chaperoning the visit. I'm capable of looking after my son on my own."

The woman huffed, taking a sip of her coffee as she looked anywhere but at the man sitting across from her. "That's what you said a couple of weeks ago. I had to pick him up from the hospital with a broken arm, Jim."

Jim huffed and sat back, giving up on the fight and Aria instantly felt bad for him. She didn't know their situation but she did know how unpredictable children could be. It was perfectly plausible that whatever had happened to cause their son to break his arm could have been due to no fault of his own.

"I miss him," Jim said quietly, catching Aria's attention again. She stared off towards the children, mindful to not make it look like she was actively listening in on their conversation. "You have him every week and I… I'm delegated to one or two weekends a month. It shouldn't be like that; a boy needs his father."

The woman didn't respond but Aria could tell that Jim's words had softened her, even if just the tiniest bit. She watched pointedly as the boy with whom Ava had been talking stepped up for his turn down the slide and clumsily found his way down the attraction. She stood as soon as his feet hit the ground, tossing her coffee cup towards the trash and turned away from Jim.

"Come on, we can discuss this elsewhere," she responded shortly. "Charlie and I have dinner plans tonight and we don't want to be late."

Aria watched as the man rose defeated and followed the woman across the grounds towards the play area. The entire scene struck Aria something fierce. She didn't know them, didn't know their situation, but she could relate with the man's earnest to not lose his son. She made a decision then and pulled her phone from her pants, quickly hitting a few keys, before standing and calling for Ava.

* * *

Her knuckles shook slightly as she rapped them lightly against the worn wooden frame of Hardy's front door. Ava hopped excitedly from one foot to the other as they waited for someone to answer. She knew where they were heading the moment they'd pulled out of town and couldn't stop talking about how excited she was to show Ezra her newest drawings and her new sweater, adorned with cartoon turkeys and cornucopias.

When the door swung open a few moments later, they were greeted with the warm blue eyes of Ezra's roommate. He smiled wildly and swooped is hand inside, welcoming them in.

"Hey there, Ava bug!" Hardy greeted as he pressed a kiss to Aria's cheek. "How are you?"

Ava giggled and pulled a stack of drawings from her coat pocket, offering them towards Hardy. "I dwawed pitures of your ducks, Uncle Hawdy," she explained in her adorable lisp. "And of your fishies and twees!"

Hardy laughed and thumbed carefully through the sketches, pausing to dutifully inspect a few of them. "These are, perhaps, the most spectacular drawings I've ever seen!" He exclaimed excitedly. "Why don't we hang them on the refrigerator?"

Aria nodded enthusiastically and grabbed Hardy's hand to pull him towards the fridge. Busing themselves with the arrangement of the pictures, Aria took the time to look around the place. Ezra didn't seem to be home, from as far as she could see. No sooner had she thought that, however, the front door opened and Aria watched as Ezra came in, pulling a knit hat from his head and unzipping his coat. He had bags of groceries in one hand and was struggling juggle everything as he closed the door.

"Hardy, I bought steaks for dinner. Can you-" He cut himself short upon glancing up and seeing Aria. Instantly stilling, their gazes locked and the tension between them intensified immediately. Aria suddenly wasn't sure that coming here, unwarned, was such a great idea.

"Hey," she whispered, offering a meek smile."

"Hi there," Ezra responded, still not moving. After a moment, he finally shook the shock away and stepped further into the room, his movements catching Ava's attention.

"Eza!" She cried happily, running over to wrap her hands around Ezra's pant leg.

Hardy came over to take the groceries from him and Ezra instantly bent down engulf the child in a bear hug. He pressed a kiss to her hair and ran a hand lightly over her curls before pulling away.

"Hey there, Ava bear," he greeted with a grin. "Did you bring me any new drawings today?"

Ava nodded and pulled him towards the fridge to show off her newest artwork. Aria forced a smile to her face. She could handle this, she could. Watching Ava babble on about the drawings to Ezra, Aria let out a nervous sigh and ran a hand through her hair, trying to calm her racing heart. Hardy noticed her movements and offered her a weak smile before turning to Ava.

"Hey, Ava, how would you like to help me wash up some potatoes for supper? Your mom and Ezra need a few minutes to talk," Hardy explained, offering a hand towards Ava. Ava nodded, unaware of the palpable tension in the room, and eagerly hopped over to join Hardy at the counter. Ezra stood, unmoving, for a moment before turning towards Aria and offering her a mirror of the weak grin she'd shot at him previously. He cocked his head towards the door leading out to the back porch and Aria dutifully followed him outside.

"I've tried calling and stopping by," Ezra said the moment the door closed behind them. The hurt in his voice was obvious. He dropped into a chair and patted the seat next to him for Aria to sit down.

"I know," Aria acknowledged lamely, she didn't know what to say in her defense as she really didn't have one.

Ezra stared off across the lake, unspeaking, just letting the moment sink in and Aria decided that it was now or never. Reaching into her purse, she pulled a handful of papers out and handed them to him.

"What are these?" Ezra asked, confused. He raked through the first couple of pages and drew taught as their meaning became clear. His gaze instantly shot towards Aria.

"Aria, this isn't what I wanted. I-"

"I know," Aria said shakily. "But I think that it's for the best."

Ezra stared at her and the intensity of his gaze chilled her, it was if he was trying to make her understand but she couldn't. This was a completely different situation for herself then it was for him.

"I've thought about this, long and hard," Aria started. She drew in a shaky breath before continuing. "She isn't mine, she never was. She's always been yours, even when we didn't know it. That's why I had my lawyer call yours and draw up the guardianship papers the day after you told me she was yours. I just couldn't bring myself to actually give her up… until now."

"Why?" Ezra choked out.

Aria forced a short laugh, quickly swiping away a tear falling down her cheek. "Because she deserves to be happy and… that's with you."

"That's with you too, Aria," Ezra shot back quickly. He dropped the papers and reached for her hands. "You are Ava's mother, she loves you. I would _never_ take that away, you understand that, don't you?"

Aria didn't respond for a while, letting his words sink in. After a moment, she gathered the rest of her courage and continued.

"I couldn't bring my parents back for Mike, Ezra," Aria whispered, staring at their linked hands. "As much as I prayed, I just couldn't. I dropped to my knees every night for months, begging for them to return. But with Ava… I can give her back her father. I want you to be there for her, to raise her as she ought to be raised. We've only known each other for a few months now, Ezra, I can't pretend to have the final say in what you do but you should ultimately be her caregiver. You deserve that much."

Pulling her hands from his, Aria shakily stood to her feet. "You don't have to say anything but I've come to terms with Ava leaving. Please don't feel like you're taking her from me. We can decide later, if you wish, how to tell her, but… I'm ok. Everything will work out the way in which it was intended."

Ezra stood, shocked, and clutched the papers tightly in his grip as he studied Aria. She felt his gaze, shadowed with confusion and guilt, study her every feature. Leaning forward she pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"It really will be ok."


	22. Chapter 22

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO**

 _ **EZRA**_

Ezra angrily crossed out the couple of sentences he'd managed to scratch down in his notebook and let out a heavy sigh as he collapsed back against the bench upon which he sat. He thought he'd try to clear his mind of everything and lose himself in his writing, if only for a few moments, but it wasn't helping.

He was numb. That was the only way he could explain how he'd felt since Aria had dropped the guardianship bomb on him. He was numb with hurt and disbelief, but mostly with confusion. Aria thought that he wanted nothing more than to take Ava away from her, he was certain of that. He was also certain, however, that he could tell her that wasn't what he wanted until he was blue in the face and it would make no difference. As such, he was… numb.

Aria had contacted him a few times after that day, trying to determine the right time and place to explain to Ava what was going on, but Ezra managed to skirt the topic like a professional. He hadn't done anything with the papers, hadn't contacted his lawyer or his family. Ava wasn't the only one stuck in the middle of this, they both were. Honestly, he was more confused than he thought he'd be on what he wanted to happen now. He hadn't thought much past finding Ava and now that he had… could he take the full responsibility of becoming her parent? What about his living situation? His schooling?

He forcefully closed the notebook and shoved to his feet. Aimlessly wondering the park at midday didn't bode well for his portrayal of a normal, sane persona, but he didn't care. There was nothing normal or sane about his situation. He wanted to sit down and talk with Aria but she wouldn't have it. What did he have to do? What lengths did he need to go to in order for her to talk this through with him?

As he walked through the town commons, Ezra stared mindlessly at the ground in front of him and payed little to no attention to the shops he passed until he almost walked head on into a man exiting what appeared to be an empty store front.

"Excuse me, sir," he apologized, tipping his hat. The man waved him off.

"No need to apologize, you have a good day now, you hear?" He turned and was off in the opposite direction before Ezra could respond.

Staring meekly after him, Ezra turned back to continue walking when the sign in the front window of the store caught his attention. It stated that the shop had closed up for business and that the property was available. A light switch was suddenly flicked in Ezra's head and without a moment's doubt, he knew what he needed to do.

* * *

When he arrived in Benton Harbor, night had fallen and the eerie pitch black played perfectly well with Ezra's mood. He wasn't sure how his brother would handle what he was about to do but he honestly didn't care. He had carefully weighed what was most important in his life and the steps he needed to take to rectify his current situation and this was the only answer.

Pulling up in front of the store, he noticed that the lights were off and the open sign was flipped to show that they were closed. He figured as much, it was after all well past eight o'clock. Cutting the ignition, he took a breath before climbing from the car and making his way towards the stairs leading to the apartment he used to share with Wesley.

It was Thursday night, their usual poker night with the guys, and Ezra wasn't sure, but he was hoping that this week the party location fell on their place. Regardless, he'd find Wes if it didn't. Climbing the stairs, he fished his keys from his pocket and entered the small dwelling.

The small apartment was situated such that when Ezra entered, though he could hear the voices of their friends and the clinking of beer bottles, they couldn't see him right away. He softly shut the door and shed his coat on the coat rack before fully stepping into the room. It took a moment before he was noticed.

"Z!"

"Ezra! Long time!"

"What's going on bro?!"

The chorus of welcomes jumbled together and Ezra bumped a fist or two and accepted a cold beer before meeting the amused expression of his brother who sat at the opposite side of the table from where he stood.

"Hey, Z," Wes greeted, reaching forward to snag a peanut from the container on the table. He leaned back in his chair and regarded Ezra closely. "Come to catch up on losing the money you owe us?"

Ezra chuckled and shook his head as he took a swig from the beer in his hand.

"Nah, just making sure you aren't losing every penny you have, as usual," he chided.

Wes smirked. "Come on, we'll deal you in a hand."

Ezra paused for a moment. "No, it's ok, really. Listen, can we talk for a second?"

The other guys around the table suddenly became interested in the basketball game playing on the television across the room and got up in a hurry to check the score. Wes rolled his eyes.

"Sure, come on," Wes stood from his chair and cocked his head towards the door leading to the balcony outside the kitchen. "Grab me another beer on your way, will you?"

Grabbing the drink his brother had requested, Ezra followed him across the apartment to the balcony. He closed the door behind them and dropped into one of the few camping chairs they had perched out on the enclosed space.

"So what's happening? Haven't heard from you in a while," Wes started, pointing out the obvious.

Like his brother, he didn't see the point in wasting any time, might as well tell him what he came there to tell him. Ezra took a deep breath.

"I found her."

Wes stilled. "You… found her?"

Ezra nodded.

"So where is she?" Wes asked confused. He glanced behind Ezra, almost as if he expected to see a small child that he'd somehow missed when his brother arrived.

"She's with her mother," Ezra responded. He could see the confusion on Wes' face so he hurried to continue. "She was adopted before I found her… by the woman that I've started to see."

Wes dropped back in his seat, shock clearly written across his face. They were silent for a while and Ezra was uncertain how to continue.

"Wow," Wes finally responded. "You really like the dramatic."

Ezra chuckled and took a swig of his beer. "It was unintentional, believe me."

Wes nodded, staring off into the night sky. "So what are you going to do?"

Here comes the hard part, Ezra thought. He sat up straighter and took one last drag from the beer before setting it aside and turning fully towards his brother.

"I can't rip that little girl away from the only true mother she's ever known. And I- I think that I'm in love with her mother anyway."

Wes smiled at the remark. "So…"

"So I need to show them how important they both are to me; I can't keep living this double life. I think I need to commit to the relationship… between the both of them. And that means giving up what I have here."

Wes nodded in understanding. After a moment, he climbed to his feet and disappeared into the house, leaving Ezra confused. Just as Ezra was about to go after him, Wes returned, a stack of papers in his hands. Ezra's heart dropped, stacks of paper were showing to be an ominous sign these days.

"Between you and me, I had these drawn up the moment you ventured out to live with Hardy," Wes explained, handing the papers to him. "I was angry, yeah, that you were leaving this whole business to me but… you've always had to do what was right, Ezra. And this- this is right."

Ezra glanced down at the papers he now held, briefly skimming their contents. "You're buying me out?"

"Of being a main partner, yes," Wes nodded. "But I'm not cutting you out completely. This place is as much mine as it is yours. You'll still get a cut of the profits, just… not as much as me."

Wes shot him a smirk and reached for the beer he'd discarded. Ezra sat for a moment, once again finding himself in shock. He didn't have anything holding him back here anymore. His brother was giving him reign to move on with his life. He no longer had Maggie or his mother to worry about, he only had… Aria and Ava. Without thinking, he stood and pulled his brother into a bone crushing hug.

"Thank you," Ezra choked out. "You don't know how much this means to me."

They embraced for what felt like hours but was, in reality, only a few meager minutes, until Wes pulled back and clapped Ezra on the shoulder.

"Go. Go do what you need to do, big brother," he remarked, tears filling his eyes. Ezra laughed and clapped his shoulder back before finishing his beer and turning, papers in hand, to reenter the apartment.

"Oh, and Z?" Wes asked, stopping Ezra's exit. "I expect to meet this little girl sometime. She's going to love her Uncle Wes."

* * *

Pulling up in front of the bookstore some hours later, Ezra killed the engine and sat silently, looking through the darkened windows towards the hint of a table lamp lit up at the back of the shop. Aria had been burning the midnight oil for days now, not that he'd noticed. Whether this was because she felt guilty about all of the recent time that she'd spent away from the shop or because she was trying to take her mind off of their current situation, he wasn't sure. All Ezra knew, was that he wanted to put an end to this anguish and thus he climbed from the car, quickly locking it behind him before heading for the back entrance.

Finding the back door unlocked, Ezra rolled his eyes slightly before entering the shop. He walked towards Aria's office, now the obvious source of the light, and upon reaching it, stopped to lean against the doorframe. Aria was doubled over in concentration, completely focused on her books in front of her and didn't seem to notice his presence. Careful not to scare her, Ezra lightly cleared his throat. Aria's head shot up at once.

"Ezra," she greeted, almost indifferently. "Is everything ok?"

Ezra shrugged as he pushed off the doorframe. "You really should start locking up if you're going to be in here all alone. Never know what kind of creepy men just might wander in."

Aria smirked as she sat back. "I think I have an idea."

Ezra responded with a chuckle of his own before walking fully into the office and sitting down in one of the chairs in front of her desk. They sat amicably for a moment or two and Ezra could see that Aria was struggling to read his thoughts, to find out what it was that he wanted to say before he said it. He figured that they'd both been delivered so many surprises lately that she probably just wanted to lessen the blow before it actually came.

"Is there something you needed?" Aria asked, finally breaking the silence. "I'm just about to get going, I have to pick up Ava from Em's and-"

"I can't do this anymore," Ezra said, cutting her off.

"Do what?" Aria asked, confused.

"This," Ezra responded, motioning to the awkwardness between them. "Ever since we met, we've never had this- tension- between us, and it's killing me. I don't want this."

"Ezra," Aria said dejectedly, trailing off. "There doesn't need to be a tension between us. I've already granted you the files you need to start anew with Ava, you're the one dragging this out."

At that, Ezra pushed angrily to his feet. "That's just it, Aria. I don't want to start anew. I want to continue with what we've had going. All of us. Together. Don't you see that?"

His labored breathing was the only sound that could be heard for a moment while they gathered their thoughts. Ezra, seeing that he needed to take a softer approach, gently rounded Aria's desk and sat down on the corner, reaching for her hands.

"I want Ava in my life. But not like this. Not if it means losing you," Ezra said gently. "I know- I know that you're upset with me. You probably feel as if I've lied about this entire situation, that I've gone behind your back to take Ava away from you. But that was never my intentions, Aria, I swear."

"Then why didn't you tell me when you first found out that Ava might be yours?" Aria shot out, instantly angry. "Why did you wait and say nothing while I was left in the dark with having to get blood drawn and papers signed? You should have told me then, Ezra, you shouldn't have waited!"

Ezra sighed and dropped his head, avoiding eye contact with her. He knew that Aria was right. "I thought that by waiting, I could spare you the pain if she wasn't mine," he choked out. "Now I want to make things right. So, please, let me fix this."

Aria didn't respond and Ezra watched, heart breaking at the sight, as tears started to flow down her face. He released one of her hands to wipe a few of the tears away, caressing her cheek gently as he did.

"I can't let you go, Aria," Ezra whispered, laying his entire heart on the line. "It's too late. I've fallen in love with you."

Aria sucked in her breath at his confession and he wasn't sure if he'd completely scared her off or not. When she didn't respond right away, Ezra assumed he had.

"Ezra," Aria whispered, clutching at his hand once again. "You've got Ava to think about now. She should be your priority, not me. I'm- I'm too scarred from the shitty hand that life's dealt me to be able to know exactly what I want. I've come to realize that you could provide for her far better than I ever could. All I want is for Ava to be happy."

"Then let's do this. Together," Ezra responded. There was a firmness in his voice the like of which Aria had never heard before.

"And what about your life back home?" Aria shot back. "What about your brother?"

Ezra, seeing the first break in her armor, let a small smile fill his face and reached into the pocket of his jacket to produce the paper's that Wes had given him. "That's been taken care of. Wes is doing fine on his own, he's turned our store into a far more productive shop then I ever did. He wants me to start living my life again."

Aria sat completely still, tears still streaming down her face as she took it all in. Watching her, Ezra prayed, harder then he'd ever prayed before in his life, for her to see that this, the _he_ , was worth fighting for.

"Ok," Aria whispered, harshly wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Ok."

Ezra let the biggest grin he'd ever worn stretch across his face as he pulled Aria up, out of her chair and into his arms. He buried his face in her hair and stroked her back, whispering "thank you… thank you" over and over again into her ear.

Aria relaxed into his embrace and took a few deep breaths before pulling away. She framed his face with her hands and wiped a few of his own tears away.

"I want to take this slow, though, Ezra," Aria said quietly. "This is an adjustment for everyone. Heck a few months ago, I was single and running a bookstore on my own. I can't just jump into the whole family thing with you. I'm sorry."

Ezra nodded, understanding completely. He leant forward and pressed a kiss to Aria's forehead. "We'll go as slow as you'd like."


	23. Chapter 23

**CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE**

 _ **EZRA**_

"Eza!" Ava cried happily upon seeing Ezra enter the classroom. She raced over to him, throwing her hands into the air so that he could lift her up into his arms. Ezra cooperated happily.

"Hi there, Pumpkin," he greeted happily, pressing a kiss to Ava's chubby cheek and setting her back on her feet. "How was school today?"

"It tas good, Eza," Ava responded. She immediately started babbling about the projects she'd gotten to participate in that day and the friends she'd interacted with. Ezra, ever mindful to always pay careful attention to everything Ava said, nodded at the appropriate times and voiced his input when needed, all the while packing her belongings and dressing her for the trip back home.

Ms Tanner, the newest (and youngest) teacher addition to the class, came over and smiled warmly at Ezra as he got Ava ready to leave.

"It's nice to see you again, Mr. Fitz," Ms Tanner remarked flirtatiously, reaching forward to lightly touch his arm. "Ava's been on her best behavior as of yet. She's one of our star pupils."

"Is that so?" Turning toward Ava, and ignoring the multiple come-on attempts from the young teacher, Ezra brushed her hair back softly and pressed a kiss to her temple before sliding her snow beanie over her head. "Are you one of the best pumpkins in the class, Ava bear?"

Ava giggled. "You'ze siwy Eza! I'm not a pumtin, Ize is a wittle girl!"

Ezra laughed and scooped her back up, slinging one of the shoulder straps from Ava's backpack over his own shoulder. He gave a friendly wave towards the teacher and headed towards the door. He was glad that Ava was too young to notice the signs being put out by Ms Tanner, it didn't make it any less uncomfortable, though. Ezra rolled his eyes at the attempt. There were only two girls for him, even if one was a little tougher to crack. He was certain, however, that they were almost there.

* * *

"Mommy we'ze home!" Ava cried happily when they entered the house some short time later. She instantly starting shedding her boots and coat without warning and Ezra had to stop himself from tripping over the clutter as he followed her inside.

Aria rounded the corner, obviously having been in the middle of vacuuming and pressed a kiss to Ava's cheek. "I'm happy, Sweet Heart. Why don't you head upstairs and get ready for dinner? It'll be ready shortly."

Ava wasted no time in bounding for the stairs and disappearing out of site. Food was a great motivator for her. Turning towards Ezra, Aria offered him a small smile and made to take the backpack from his shoulder. Ezra watched as she expertly started to clean up Ava's mess, careful to not miss a lace or glove.

Ezra mentally sighed. He was in the dark as to his relationship with Aria and she never seemed to want to talk about it. When they had agreed to give this 'thing' a try and to go slow, Ezra had assumed that they'd pick up where they'd left off but in actuality, it seemed like they'd started over again. They'd been spending an inordinate amount of time together; he was constantly over at her place and her at his. Heck, Ava had already asked once or twice why he didn't live with them. If he could just persuade Aria...

"Did the school give you those papers for the field trip coming up next week?" Aria asked as she headed towards the kitchen, breaking him from his thoughts. He followed her into the other room. She ran a hand quickly over a few of the spice jars before selecting her preferred flavor and shaking it lightly over the chicken dish she had waiting on the counter.

Ezra hung up his own coat and kicked off his boots before following. "I didn't see anything, no. I can ask tomorrow when I pick her up?"

Aria, her back to him, tensed at the comment and Ezra knew she was about to say something he wasn't going to like.

"Actually, I meant to tell you this earlier in the week but Ava was invited to go ice skating for another child's birthday tomorrow," Aria said slowly. "I'll pick her up and take her, I've already asked Em to cover for me at the shop. You… could join us? That is if you don't have any plans."

She turned the timer on the stove as she talked and popped the chicken into the oven to warm up, never once turning to make eye contact with Ezra. Aria stayed silent, stirring the mashed potatoes she'd started on the stove. Ezra rounded the center island, leaning against the counter next to where she stood. Reaching forward, he lightly touched Aria's face, drawing her attention to him. The spark that existed between them was still there, tangible as ever, and it caused Ezra's heart to pick up its pace.

"Hey," He said, forcing her to look at him. "I'd love to. What time should I pick you both up?"

Aria took in a deep breath and offered him a small smile. "Around six?" she asked. Ezra nodded his consent and smiled warmly down at her, moving a stray strand of hair behind one of her ears. The hitch of her breath told him she was just as aware of their connection as he was and it propelled him to slowly lean toward her, his gaze flickering from her eyes to her lips.

He was mere inches from kissing Aria when the sound of Ava's pounding footsteps drew their attention away from each other and they instantly backed up, putting a respectable distance between them. Ezra couldn't help but be disappointed at the interruption. They'd slowly started to work their way back towards being together, but they weren't quite there yet and Ezra wasn't going to lie, it frustrated him. Sighing, he started towards the table to set their places for dinner. He was determined to get them back to where they were sooner rather then later.

* * *

"Stop wiggling, Ava, please," Ezra asked gently, trying his best to fit the smallest set of ice skates that he'd ever seen onto the tiniest pair of feet in the world. Ava just giggled in response and Ezra couldn't help but smile. Even at such a young age, she already knew that she had him wrapped around her finger.

"There we go, all set!" Ezra said proudly, falling back onto his heels to help Ava to her feet. "Go slowly now."

The little girl wobbled for a few seconds, perfectly mirroring a new born horse who'd just found its legs. Ezra instantly reached a hand forward to stop her from falling.

"Ava, be careful, please," Aria asked as she approached, handing a hot cup of coffee to Ezra. "Listen to Ezra."

Ava nodded and turned to stare up at Ezra, eyes pleading with him to follow her out onto the ice. He reached down and scooped her up into one arm, trudging slowly towards the rink that was sprinkled with children and parents of all ages. The laughter and warm, family atmosphere was contagious so Ezra nodded for Aria to follow, much to her reluctance.

Padding onto the ice in his boots, Ezra decided to forgo the skate, he'd much rather watch Ava skate then partake on his own. She didn't seem to mind as the second he sat her down and aligned the rental skating trainer, she took off, albeit at a snail's pace.

"Wook at me, Eza! I doin' it!" Ava giggled happily. She'd only gotten a few feet when Ezra saw one of her skates start to turn south, pushing her to her knees. To his surprise, however, she didn't cry. Instead, she got back up and trudged on.

"That's my girl," Ezra said quietly to himself, unable to stop a grin from covering his face. A warm sensation suddenly pressed into his hand that wasn't holding his coffee and he looked down to see that Aria had reached forward to link their hands together. He smiled warmly at her and glanced once more towards Ava before pulling them off the ice and behind the wooden railing encompassing the rink. They had a clear view of Ava and he felt confident that it would be best for her to do this on her own, making friends in the process. They were silent for a while, just watching Ava skate.

"Are we ok?" Aria quietly asked, ripping Ezra from his thoughts. He glanced towards her and saw the hesitation in her eyes. "I mean with everything that's happened… I just- I just want us to be ok. You know?"

"I think we're better than ok," he responded with a grin. Dropping her hand, he wound his arm around Aria's shoulders and pulled her into his side. She sighed contently and dropped her head to lean against him.

"Ok," she responded, shooting him back a grin.

"Ok," he echoed softly. Just then, Ezra knew he couldn't wait any longer. He needed Aria fully back in his life, now, he was done waiting.

Setting his coffee cup atop the wooden post in front of them, he turned to face her. He reached both hands up cupping her face and, giving her time to understand his intentions, slowly leaned down to finally press his lips against hers. The sensation that rocketed through him the moment they connected was immeasurable. He felt like everything around them melted away and it was only the two of them, with all of their baggage forgotten. Pulling away after a few moments, he rested his forehead against hers and took in a couple of deep breaths before slowly opening his eyes. Aria smiled warmly up at him and, without waiting, reached forward to pull him back down. Her fingers played with the hairs at the nape of his neck as they kissed and all he could focus on was her. This woman drove him crazy.

Without warning, Ava's yell broke them apart. Ezra spun quickly towards the ice, feeling guilty that he hadn't been completely watching her for once. Ava laid sprawled on the ground, her trainer upside down many feet away from her and a larger boy was face planted in the snow. Tears streamed down her face as she cried and Ezra wasted no time in hopping the short fence and sprinting to her side.

"Ava, come on, Pumpkin," Ezra cooed softly as he dropped to his knees, quickly checking her for any damage. When he couldn't find any, he scooped her into his arms and made to carry her off the ice. Ava's cries started to die down and she pressed her face into his neck.

"I felled," Ava whimpered. "I'ze sowy, Daddy."

Ezra came to a sudden stop, just about tripping over his own feet at her words. She'd never called him that before, not knowing the full truth. He was glad, however, that they were close enough for her to regard him as a father figure. He was almost so shocked at the statement that he fell himself. Placing a series of kisses into her curls, he continued off the ice.

"It's ok, Ava Bear. You're ok," he cooed softly.

"I'm sorry, Sir," the boy called as they passed him. He was getting to his feet and brushing snow off of his legs, looking equally as shaken. "I was racing my friends and my skate caught her trainer. Is she alright?"

Ezra nodded and waved him off. Ava would be ok, he would have to probably buy her a hot chocolate, though, to stem the tears. Aria, already one step ahead of him, rushed over with a cup of hot cocoa in her hand.

"Ava, Baby, are you ok?" She asked worriedly, pausing to wipe the tears from Ava's cheeks. Ava nodded and Aria handed her the hot cup. "You scared us, Ava. Maybe we should head home?"

At this, Ava furiously shook her head, making to push back to her feet. "No, Mommy. I'ze ok, I wanna go back."

Ezra laughed at her resilience, sitting down on the bench as well and pulling Aria down next to him. "You're one strong bear, Ava. Probably stronger then me!"

Ava giggled and returned her drink to Aria before pushing off the bench and wobbling back towards the ice. Ezra made to stand up to help her but Ava shook her head.

"I'ze got it, Daddy. Wet me do it," Ava asked, slowly trudging forward. Ezra's heart once again melted at his new title and he glanced towards Aria to see a large grin on her face, reaching from ear to ear.

Watching Ava return to the ice, Aria turned towards Ezra and wrapped her arms around his neck. She leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek before turning back to watch _their_ daughter attempt to skate once again.

"She called me Daddy," Ezra whispered, unable to keep the smile from his own face.

Aria turned back towards him, raking a hand through his own mop of curls. "That's because you are."


	24. Chapter 24

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR**

 _ **EZRA**_

The warm sun beating against his face forced Ezra to pry open his eyes, wearily stretching one arm before recognizing that a soft weight pressed down on his other. Turning his head slightly, he smiled lazily at the site of Aria pressed against his side. She was completely snuggled under the covers, though it was mid-spring, and, for lack of a better description, dead to the world.

He reached gently towards her and brushed a strand of hair from her face. She didn't respond in the slightest to his touch. Aria had been working long hours lately, so this didn't surprise him. And with the recent change in their living situation, he was sure everything was just taking a toll on her. He'd let her sleep, after all, they had a long weekend ahead of them.

After finally convincing Aria to give them a shot, it hadn't taken him long to become a permanent fixture in both her and Ava's lives. They'd become inseparable and after a while, it only made sense for him to move in. After all, it saved them both gas and mileage on their cars and he was sure he'd well past worn out his welcome at Hardy's (though his friend vehemently objected). Regardless, moving in with Aria and Ava had turned out to be the simplest decision he'd had to make as of yet.

Ezra pulled his arm from beneath Aria as carefully as he could, mindful to not wake her, and sighed in relief when the pins and needles that had started forming in the limb started to subdue without the added weight. He pushed the covers from his body and slowly rose to his feet, slightly wincing at the coldness of the hardwood floor.

Exiting from the bedroom as quietly as he could, he immediately turned right and headed across the hallway to Ava's room. Checking in on his daughter had become the first thing he did every morning and he always looked forward to it, unsure if he'd find her awake and playing or still asleep. Pushing the door to her bedroom open, he burrowed his eyebrows in confusion. She was nowhere to be found. Turning back towards the hallway, he was just about to start making his way downstairs to look for Ava when a rustling from the bathroom caught his attention and he turned back.

"Ava? Are you ok in there?" Ezra asked, rapping against the door lightly.

There was more rustling and a clinking of jars but Ava didn't respond. He burrowed his brows even further in confusion before knocking again.

"Ava?"

The soft padding of feet made its way closer to the door before she responded. "Ize otay, Daddy!" Aza responded. "Ize jus gettin weady!"

"Ready?" Ezra muttered to himself, utterly confused. They were going to head to Benton Harbor for the weekend in a little over an hour but Aria had already packed their things and Ava knew she wasn't to bathe or get dressed without one of them. He reached for the door knob, deciding it was best to find out what she was up to before Aria woke.

He'd just barely opened the door a crack when Ava giggled and pressed back against it from the other side, trying to prevent his entry.

"Ava," Ezra chided, lowering his voice to a less playful timbre. "Let me in, please."

Ava, knowing Ezra wasn't messing around when he used that tone with her, backed away from the door and turned around to greet him when he finally entered the tiny room. Ezra sucked in his breath at the sight of her and, after the shock passed, immediately started to chuckle in amusement. Ava's face was covered in all shades of the rainbow and her hair was curled messily through a variety of clips and bows. Tears started to form in Ezra's eyes as he attempted unsuccessfully to stop his laughter.

His reaction caused Ava to start giggling as well and she reached for him, asking to be lifted into his arms. Ezra instantly complied. Reaching towards his own hair, Ezra was too slow to react before a purple butterfly clip was attached to his curls. Ava giggled and clapped both of her hands against his cheeks, mimicking the loving gesture he often used on her.

"You'ze wook wike a pwincess now, Daddy!" Ava exclaimed excitedly.

"I do?" Ezra asked, playing along.

Ava giggled again and leaned forward to press a large kiss to Ezra's face. Ezra felt his heart melt at the action, he'd never get tired of this.

Reaching into the pocket of his sweatpants, he fished out his phone and turned the camera towards them. "Come on Ava, smile at the camera with me. I think I need a new profile picture."

* * *

The long car ride to Benton Harbor seemed to drag on for what felt like days, though in reality it only took a few hours. Ava mercilessly kicked against Ezra's driver's seat, even though Aria begged her to stop, until she eventually fell asleep. Ezra sighed at the welcomed silence and Aria shot him an apologetic smile.

Noticing the last turn ahead, Ezra snapped on the car's turn signal and reached for Aria's hand as he slowed the car to make the turn.

"Are you nervous?" Aria asked, instantly reading his thoughts.

Ezra shrugged. "Not really. I think that I'm more… apprehensive? Even without knowing her, Ava's been a large part of both mine and Wesley's life for the better part of five years now. I know he's going to love her, I just…"

"Don't want things to change between the two of you?" Aria suggested softly, giving his hand a squeeze.

"Yeah, something like that," Ezra responded, smiling softly.

Ezra drove a block or two more before finally pulling the car to a stop in front of the worn down shop and apartment building that he used to call home. He was surprised to notice that the lights to the shop were still on as his brother had informed him that they had temporarily closed the shop for a few weeks for renovations. He pulled the keys from the ignition and climbed from the car, turning to wake Ava from her nap as Aria joined him.

"Awe we here?" Ava asked tiredly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as Ezra placed her on her feet. Aria combed her fingers through Ava's curls and took the little girl's hand as she nodded.

"We're here, Baby."

Ezra led them towards the shop, fishing his way around crates of lumber and tarps. It looked like his brother was honestly giving the shop some long overdue maintenance and he couldn't be prouder. He was excited to see what changes he'd made.

Pushing into the shop, he was disappointed when the normal sound of the bell above the door didn't ring out. He glanced up and noticed that it was missing, along with all other decorations that had once littered the walls of the clapboard room. Everything was vacant. The floor boards had been pulled, concrete slabs staring up at him, the shelving had been removed, as well as the front desk and refrigerators that had once held fishing bait. The place didn't even remotely begin to look like the shop that he'd once ran.

The removal of the bell didn't seem to stop Wesley from noticing their entrance, however, as he soon walked into the room and a large grin covered his face at the site of them. Opening his arms wide, he threw a rag onto one of the paint cans nearest him and walked over.

"Z! Glad you finally made it!" He greeted, pulling Ezra into a hug. Ezra clapped his brother's shoulder and grinned at the embrace, same old Wesley, always big with the gestures.

Pulling away, Wes stuck a hand out towards Aria. "You must be Aria, I've heard nothing but good things."

Aria chuckled softly as she took his hand. "Well I'll make sure to tell you the rest then."

Wes let out his own laugh in response. "A girl after my own heart."

Breaking from his handshake with Aria, Wes turned his gaze towards the little girl that had suddenly become shy and hid behind Ezra's legs. He dropped to one knee and peeked around his brother at the child, offering her a warm smile.

"Why hello there, you must be Princess Ava. I'm humbly at your service," Wes greeted, bowing slightly. Ava giggled but hid her face against Ezra's jeans. Wes, seeing her apprehension, dug into his pocket and took out a lollipop, offering it to her as a peace treaty. "Will you come out and play, Princess Ava?"

Candy was all it took to turn Ava from a shy child into a social butterfly. She eagerly reached for the lollipop and shook the hand that Wesley extended towards her.

"Awe youz my unca Weswey?" She asked curiously, tearing open the wrapper. "I was towd he woud have a pwesent for me!"

Wes shot his gaze towards Ezra who only grinned in response and shrugged, acting as if he'd told her no such thing.

"Ava," Aria scolded softly. "It's not nice to expect gifts from people."

Wesley laughed and waved Aria off. "It's ok, Aria. Actually, Ava, I do have a present for you. How would you like to go fishing with me this evening?"

Aria looked up excitedly. She'd never been fishing before, aside from the few times she'd thrown bread to the ducks at Hardy's place. "Yeah! I wanna go fishin!"

Ezra reached down and ran a hand over her head as he smiled. "Well it's your lucky day, Ava Bear. You get to eat pizza and go fishing with your Uncle Wesley while I get to show your mom the town. That is, of course, if your mom is ok with that?"

Aria, confusion written across her face, looked between the two brothers and her daughter for a few seconds before shrugging. "Sure, that sounds like fun to me."

* * *

"So where are we going?" Aria asked later that night as Ezra drove them through the small coastal town. He hadn't let on to his plans for their evening at all.

Pulling into an empty spot in front of the town's one diner, he cut the ignition and turned towards her. "I thought it'd be nice to have dinner, just the two of us, while Wesley and Ava got to spend some time together. I wanted to show you around town a bit and maybe grab a drink before heading back? Ava will be fine, I promise, Wes isn't as bad as he seems."

Aria let out a laugh as she unbuckled herself from her seat and climbed out of the car. "He's anything but bad, Ezra. Ava already loves him."

Ezra grinned, reaching for her hand and pulling her towards the diner. "You don't know him well enough yet, give it time."

* * *

After enjoying a light dinner and paying their tab, Ezra laced his fingers with Aria's and turned them towards the main road. Though the town had nothing resembling the town center of Rosewood, you couldn't beat the coastal picture that played against the main street and surrounding hills. This walk had always been an escape for him and he was glad to finally be able to share it with someone.

They walked for a bit, Ezra pointing out various buildings and landmarks, winding their way out of town and along a worn wooden fence leading from the street out towards the beach. When they reached the end of the pier, just before the soft mixture of soil and gravel turned to sand, Ezra stopped, leaning against the ply boards. Aria joined him, staring out towards the rolling waves, the soft salty breeze blowing her hair from her face. Ezra couldn't help but to stare at how beautiful she looked.

"This place is amazing," Aria said after a moment. She glanced towards Ezra, a warm smile on her face. "You're amazing. I… I can't believe how happy I finally am."

Ezra's heart melted at her words and he stepped closer, pulling her into a soft, languid kiss. When the need for air became a concern, he broke apart and pressed his forehead to Aria's.

"Aria, I have to admit that I had an ulterior motive for bringing you and Ava out here this weekend," he said quietly. He opened his eyes to see her looking back up at him and pulled away slightly so that he could fully see her.

Aria gave him a quizzical look. "I thought this trip was to meet Wesley and to see your previous home?"

"It is but it's also… more," Ezra responded. He pulled away fully to look out at the waves crashing against the shoreline, trying to gather his thoughts. All attempts at gaining clarity, however, were nullified when Aria slipped her hand into his, giving his hand a slight squeeze. His heart went crazy and he took a few deep breaths before continuing.

"I've set a date tomorrow with my lawyer- for the three of us," he told her quietly. When she didn't respond, he risked a quick glance her way before continuing. "I want us to become a real family, Aria. I'd like- I'd like to adopt Ava, with you, if you'd allow it. We'd just be talking through our options with her, nothing will happen right away of course. But… I'd like to get that ball rolling."

Aria sucked in a breath, her eyes going wide. Ezra knew that she had thought about their situation a number of times but they hadn't brought it up ever since it almost ripped them apart. He couldn't hold back any longer, though. This was it for him, he knew that.

Turning towards her, he cupped her cheek with one hand and decided to take the plunge, continuing with the entire speech that he'd planned out weeks ago. "Aria, you are the most amazing woman and mother that I have ever known. I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy. I also want to do that as Ava's father." He took in a shaky breath before sliding to one knee and pulling a velvet box from his pocket.

"Ezra," Aria whispered, tears starting to stream down her face.

"You don't have to answer right away," Ezra cut in quickly. He played with the box a moment, staring at his sneaker before glancing back up at her, a lopsided grin creeping onto his face. "I mean, I'd like an answer sooner rather than later but…"

Aria wetly giggled before dropping to her own knees and cupping Ezra's face in her hands. "You haven't asked me anything yet, Ezra," she playfully chided.

Ezra let out his own laugh. "I guess I haven't, have I?"

The warm breeze blew between them, sending a warm mist of ocean air against their skin. Ezra was sure that this scene would look odd to anyone that passed, two grown adults on their knees just staring at each other, but he didn't care. Taking a deep breath, he locked his gaze with Aria's and opened the ring box.

"Aria Montgomery, will you do me the greatest honor of my life and become my wife?" He finally choked out.

More tears streamed down Aria's face as she nodded fervently. "Yes," she responded. "A thousand times, yes."

Ezra slipped the ring onto her finger and pulled her into his arms, crashing his lips against hers. It finally felt like everything was going right and he was ready to start the next chapter in his life, with both Aria and Ava by his side.


	25. Chapter 25

**EPILOGUE**

" _When your legs don't work like they used to before and I can't sweep you off of your feet, will your mouth still remember the taste of my love? Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks?... When my hair's all but gone and my memory fades and the crowds don't remember my name. When my hands don't play the strings the same way, I know you will still love me the same." – Ed Sheeran, 'Thinking Out Loud'_

 _ **ARIA**_

She ran a hand over the embroidery of her dress, touched the makeup on her face once more, and fixed a stray hair. She fidgeted when there was nothing left to fidget with and still looked for more reprieve. A warm body pressed into her side, almost as if sensing she needed the comfort and Aria smiled as she looked down at her daughter- at _their_ daughter she thought, correcting herself. Ava stared back up at her, eyes adjusting to the brightness of the room after having just awoken from her nap not too long ago.

"Are you ready, Baby Girl?" Aria asked gently, smoothing her hand over Ava's hair. "I think that Daddy's waiting for us."

Ava nodded but Emily turned to place one last flower in the little girl's basket before nodding her approval as well.

"I think that we're about set," Emily said with a smile. She motioned with her head towards the door. "You ready to get married?"

Aria sucked in a deep breath, her nerves once again on edge. This was Ezra she was walking down the aisle towards, she could do this. Aria nodded after a moment and pushed to her feet. Just then a knock sounded from the door and Aria turned her head to see her brother, Mike, sticking his head into the room. Seeing that everyone was fully dressed, he entered the room completely and slowly approached Aria. He was silent for a few moments and Aria began to wonder if he was having doubts about everything. She knew she was. She wasn't doubting her love for Ezra, but that didn't stop the thousands of thoughts that filled her mind regarding whether she'd be a good mother, a good wife, a good-

"You look beautiful," Mike said quietly, breaking her from her thoughts. "Mom and Dad would be so proud of you. Of us."

Aria felt herself start to tear up at her brother's words. She pulled him into a fierce hug, trying unsuccessfully to stop the flow of tears before they overwhelmed her.

"I wish they could be here," she whispered into his suit jacket. "But I'm glad that I at least have you."

Pulling away, Mike caught the last of her tears on his hand and handed her a tissue. Shooting her a lopsided grin, he offered her his elbow.

"How about we get this show on the road? I think we've had enough tears for one day."

Aria let out a short giggle and nodded, quickly composing herself and nodding towards Emily who gently guided Ava out the door as the processional music started to play.

She took one final ragged breath before joining them, eager to put a permanence to the happiness that had engulfed her life. When they finally stepped into the small vestibule and her eyes locked with Ezra's, she knew that everything was finally falling into place.

* * *

"You look stunning," Ezra whispered into her neck as they danced after the ceremony later that night. "Absolutely gorgeous."

Aria smiled into his shoulder and pulled him tighter. Their wedding had been small; they'd only invited a handful of friends and family members. Afterwards, they'd retreated back to Aria and Ezra's house where Emily, Hardy and Spencer had transformed their backyard into a magical venue appropriate for a celebration. Tea lights decorated almost every visible surface and candles burned atop the small tables they'd placed around the yard. Everything circled a small clearing they'd made for a mock-dance floor and Aria couldn't have been happier with the setup. It was perfect.

"You can thank Emily for cleaning me up," Aria responded to Ezra. "She was at it for hours."

Ezra chuckled as he pulled away slightly so that he could see her. "You could have done nothing and I would still think that you're the most beautiful woman that I've ever seen."

Aria felt a blush fill her cheeks at his words. She feared she'd never get use to his constant compliments. She guessed that that's how husbands were supposed to act, though. Husband. That word still seemed foreign to her.

"Well thank you."

Ezra smiled in response and leaned forward to gently kiss her lips. Before she could get too lost in him, however, a slight tug at the hem of her dress broke them apart. Aria glanced down and caught sight of Ava, her hands raised towards Ezra in expectation.

"I wanna dans wit you, Daddy," Ava asked shyly.

Ezra chuckled and bent to scoop her into his arms, twirling a couple of times before slowing down into a gentle waltz.

"Come on, Ava Bear," Ezra said smiling. "I think your mommy will let us have a song or two."

Aria nodded and Ezra leaned over to press a kiss to her cheek before pulling away. Aria took that as her que to leave and headed for the makeshift bar that Toby was tending.

"There's the beautiful bride," Toby greeted, pressing his own kiss to her cheek. "What'll you have? Champagne? Wine? Beer?"

Aria giggled but shook her head. "I'll just have a water for now, Toby. Thanks, though." She hadn't been feeling all too well as of late and didn't want to chance getting sick on her wedding day.

He gave her a strange look but nodded before responding. "Coming right up!"

She turned to lean against the bar top, her gaze once more being pulled towards her husband and daughter. They seemed so happy and Aria could relate to their joy, this was probably one of the happiest days of her life. The soft creak of the wood she rested against taking on additional weight alerted Aria to someone's presence and she turned to find Hardy coming to rest beside her.

"You know, I think that you owe me a new roommate," Hardy teased, gently nudging her shoulder with his own. "It's unfair that I have to pay the mortgage completely on my own now."

Aria let out a laugh, letting her fingers play over the cool condensation from the glass in her hand. "I'll see what I can do."

They were silent for a moment, taking in the night and relishing in the fact that they didn't feel the need to fill the empty air with words. Hardy had always been the easiest person to get along with and Aria was glad to have met him. When the slow dance music suddenly turned into an upbeat pop song, Aria watched in amusement as Ezra set Ava on her feet and they proceeded to start bouncing across the dance floor. Watching them, Aria felt her stomach start to turn. She quickly gulped down some water.

"So when are you going to tell him?" Hardy asked, breaking his gaze from the dance floor to look at her.

Aria knitted her brows in confusion. "Tell him?"

Hardy looked at her pointedly. "I have four sisters and five nieces and nephews. Come on, Aria, it's easy to put two and two together," he said, smiling at her. "You've looked a little green for the better part of a week now..."

Aria stilled. "You think…"

She didn't finish her statement but she knew that she didn't have to, the answer was written across Hardy's face. He chuckled, threw back the rest of his drink and gave her arm a quick squeeze before disappearing back on to the dance floor. Aria was left speechless. She had been feeling sick for the past week or two, and Hardy's explanation would certainly explain why. Shaking her head, she decided that it didn't matter if she was or she wasn't. She was certain that she'd be ready for that next step whenever it came.

Before she could get too lost inside of her own thoughts, however, Ezra was once again at her side, slightly out of breath from the crazy dance moves he and Ava had been pulling off.

"Hey, you ok?" He asked, taking in her posture and far away expression. He gratefully accepted a beer from Toby and took a large swig before turning back towards her, eyes still questioning.

"Yeah, I'm good," Aria responded, running a hand through her hair. She cocked her head towards the somewhat private bench hidden in one corner of the yard. "Want to sit with me for a second?"

"I'd love nothing more," Ezra grinned and quickly grabbed her hand, leading them over to the bench.

When they finally sat, Aria couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief, her feet were killing her in her heels. Ezra noticed her discomfort and reached down to remove the treacherous shoes, rubbing her feet slightly before sitting back up.

"Thank you," Aria whispered, locking her gaze with his. Her heart picked up its pace, as was the norm lately, just from the mere connection that instantly sparked between them.

Ezra reached forward and brushed the back of his hand down her cheek. "Anything for you," he whispered back, a small smile tugging at his lips. Not for the first time that evening, he lent down and kissed her softly. She felt as if the world stopped in that moment and everything around them disappeared. Would it always be like this between them? She really hoped it would be.

When they pulled apart, Aria felt cold without the connection and pressed herself into his side to regain the warmth his body offered. She tucked her head into the crook of his neck and shared in the silent moment engulfing them, staring off towards the small group that had gathered to share in this day with them.

"I'm thinking I'll finally be able to apply for graduation in a couple of months," Ezra told her, breaking the silence. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her tighter against him. "Then I'll have my college degree and can start freelancing for local publishing houses or newspapers."

"That'd be nice," Aria hummed. "You'll do great."

Ezra nodded and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. "It's funny, though, how all of that seems irrelevant now."

Aria pulled back slightly to look up at him in question.

"I've got everything I've ever wanted," Ezra shrugged. "I'm finally happy and as long as I've got you and Ava, I think that I'll be ok."

Aria felt tears form in her eyes. They'd both gone through a lot to get to this moment but she was certain that everything had been worth it.

"I love you," she whispered, reaching up to cup his cheek.

Ezra leaned forward and pressed his forehead to hers. "More. I love you so much more."

Aria smiled at his response and leaned forward until her lips were mere millimeters from his own. "That's not possible. How about we conceded that we love each other equally."

Ezra laughed, his lips brushing hers as he did. "Ok," he whispered. "Same." Finally, their lips connected and once again, the world faded away.

 **THE END**


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